Aftermath
by Lady Eternal
Summary: In the aftermath of battle, new alliances are forged, emotions run high, and someone you never expected proves that 'happily ever after' is always possible...
1. Chapter One

Author's Note:  If anyone had told me a year ago; Hell, a month ago; that I'd be writing X-men:  Evolution fanfiction, I'd have smiled patronizingly and allowed them their delusion.  After all, I'm a fan of the FOX style X-men from back when it began, and I've never been a fan of taking established characters, regressing them to their teenage years, and putting them through tons of unnecessary angst.  There's enough angst that gets thrown around the grown-up characters as it is.  Still, someone I love very much is a big fan of the series, and if there's one thing I cannot do, it is to refuse any action that would make my beloved Lord R happy.  Thus do I write a story that I'm sure you'll all think is crazy, will probably have a zillion things wrong with it, and will likely only be enjoyed by Lord R.  Still, I was asked by Psychodelic Barfly to post it before it was even written; apparently, she has some confidence in my abilities without ever reading my work.  However this story turns out, I must thank her here for her assistance in locating the answers to my technical queries.

In this story, chai is not a reference to the popular creamy tea.  It is Romani for 'daughter'.  Really, honest!  I even looked it up.  Not only is Wanda being trained by a gypsy witch, she is also at least half-Romani through her father (see Magneto's profile on Rosiel's page).  I figured it would be appropriate.  Agatha's use of the term is from a wise woman to her protégé.  Just in case the italics don't translate on ff.net's stupid document manager, all thoughts are bracketed ( {} ).

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter One  
By Lady Eternal  
  


                The scent of destruction still hung thick in the air:  smoke, ozone, metallic fumes.  Equally as thick was the fear, the devastation, the uncertainty.  Beast, Evan, Rogue, Wolverine, and the Professor's absences were palpable, their wraiths haunting the peripheral vision of the young X-men.  The Brotherhood's losses were no less tangible:  Fred, Pietro.  Pietro's betrayal left a sour taste in their mouths, but he was still a Brother mutant.  The alpha females were staring one another down:  Mystique's lips turned up in triumph, Storm's eyes crackling with rage.  The younger mutants could do nothing but watch the silent confrontation, awaiting someone's comfort, instruction:  anything that would chase away the shadows of fear that was setting in like the plague.

                "Leave this place," Storm finally ordered, her voice constricted with fury and her teeth clenched tightly in an effort for control.

                "What if I don't wish to?" Mystique countered.  Her gaze flickered smugly over the children, lingering just for a heart's breath on Nightcrawler.  "You're beaten, Ororo.  Your altruistic naïveté is your own undoing:  you and your professor and your pitiful band of X-men.  Do you really think that mere children are going to be a match for what awaits you now?"

                "These children can still kick your ass," Lance rumbled darkly.

                Mystique glanced at Lance in surprised amusement.  "Come now, Lance.  Are you honestly going to tell me you thought that I was siding with Xavier?  You know as well as anyone where blind faith in ordinary humans will get you."

                Her words carried an ugly ring of truth for too many here, but that didn't stop Lance.  Taking an angry step forward, the earth shuddered at his command, throwing Mystique and several others to the ground.  The pit behind them that had once been the Institute groaned, several rocks dislodging and tumbling to the bottom.  "You still put all of our lives in danger.  You cost me one of my guys.  You could have killed a bunch of innocent, albeit naïve kids.  I've never wished another mutant dead, no matter how blind I think they are to the truth.  Find yourself some other patsies, Mysti."

                Mystique rose to her feet, about to reply, but the blue beauty had not survived this long by being reckless.  What was left of her little cadre had turned against her.  Shifting into a hawk, Mystique took flight with a powerful thrust of her wings, a scream of triumph echoing behind her.

                Silence again.  Storm turned to face her charges, a grave expression on her face.  They were battle-worn, exhausted, and emotionally ravaged; as if that weren't enough, Storm knew even better than they did that the worst was far from over.  Finally, she turned to Lance.  "Thank you."

                "Yeah, well…"  Lance couldn't remember feeling more tired than he did right now.  {_What I wouldn't give to have someplace to hole up with Tabitha right now… or better still… no, not gonna think about that right now.}  _"I figure you guys need our help as much as we need yours."

                Scott snorted derisively, glancing up from the fragrant waves of Jean's hair.  "We never needed your help."

                "What are you, learning-impaired?"  Lance's temper snapped as he turned on Scott, the ground shuddering and shifting beneath his feet.  "That maniac has four of your people, and that's assuming Mysti and Magneto didn't simply gift-wrap your precious professor for him, too.  That freakin' overgrown Go-bot isn't gonna be out of commission forever, and you've got nothing but an oversized metal bubble and some caves to hide in once it's up and running again.  We can't afford to waste time and energy beating the Hell out of each other when General Insanity is trying to _kill_ us.  Do you get that, Shades?  This isn't about your ego or mine anymore.  This is real, and it doesn't matter whether I think most of you are naïve, elitist dorks.  Right here, right now, we can't afford to be petty.  We need each other; we can go back to hating each other's guts later, if we survive."

                His face mottled with rage, Scott made to step around Jean and confront Lance directly.  Jean stopped him, placing gentle hands on his shoulders and leaning up to whisper softly in his ear.  From the look on his face, Scott didn't like what she was saying to him, but he did like the way her breathy voice caressed his ear.  Simmering down, Scott took a deep breath and wrapped his arms around her torso again.  "You're right.  Truce."

                Storm nodded her approval.  "Come on.  We need to assess the true extent of the damage; any resources we can salvage will help."  With gentle hands, she slowly urged the group of young mutants towards what was left of their home.  Counting heads mentally, she turned back when she realized someone was missing.  Wanda was standing exactly where she had been the entire time, gazing at the sky where Mystique had disappeared.  "Wanda?"

                "Yes?"  Wanda did not turn towards the older woman, instead gazing up into the blue sky with unreadable eyes.

                "Come inside, dear.  We all need to rest and attempt to regroup."

                For another moment, Wanda stayed as she was.  When she looked at Storm, Storm was taken aback by the expression in her eyes.  Such presence for a young woman… such power… and such rage.  "All right."  Betraying nothing, Wanda stepped past Storm and walked to the rest of the group.  {_Soon, Brother… soon, I will come for you, and you will be made to remember just who we are to each other.}_

                By the time night fell, the group of young men and women were almost all asleep.  Exhaustion and depression had set in, weighing on everyone like cement blocks.  Finally, Storm had instructed everyone to make camp as best they could inside the caverns, making certain to stay at least within shouting distance of one another.  Not surprisingly, the young people made camp in pairs or groups, taking what solace they could in the close embrace of friends and lovers.  A schedule of watches was established, Storm and Kurt taking the first shift despite their fatigue.  After a few hours, however, the fuzzy blue elf was curled safely in the weather witch's arms, both sleeping peacefully.

                Once certain that the sentries were asleep as well, Wanda rose.  Sleep was neither easy nor necessary just now.  If she was going to free her brother, she needed more than an exhausted but enthusiastic cadre of mutants.  They needed the tactical advantage that the Institute had offered the X-men from the beginning.  She knew of only one way to recover that advantage in time to save Pietro.  Closing her eyes for a few minutes, Wanda shoved her exhaustion into a corner of her mind.  Later, she promised herself.  Later she could sleep… when this was over.

                Ready for her self-appointed task, Wanda slowly pressed herself up off the floor of the cave.  A few inches off the floor was all that was required to keep anyone from hearing her footsteps.  {_Not that anyone would.  Anyone that hasn't found a secluded little corner to have sex in is so dead asleep that they wouldn't hear the roof collapsing on their heads.  Now where is that door?}_

                Deep in the heart of the caves, Wanda found what she was looking for.  The door slid open at her touch, ignoring its ordinary identification protocols.  There was no time for such things now.  Once the door had safely closed behind her, blocking out the sound of Scott working off his frustration with Jean, Wanda let herself sink to the floor with a soft sigh.  "I'll never know what the tramp sees in him," Wanda muttered, walking down the platform to Cerebro's controls.  "Not that he isn't welcome to her…"  Settling into the chair, Wanda pushed away the image of titian hair streaked with white.  She needed to concentrate.  Cerebro was powered by an independent system from the Institute, so it should still function… and she needed a little assistance.

                At first, the computer didn't want to respond the way she wanted it to.  Wanda was used to that, and knew how to get around it.  Ignoring the way her hands trembled, she forced the computer to respond to her will, conjuring detailed images of the Institute in her mind.  Taking from those mutants she could reach, Wanda systematically reconstructed the Institute before her mind's eye, down to the clothing that had been incinerated and favorite CD's that had been melted to slag in the students' rooms during the blast.  Only when she was certain that she had a complete picture did she relax her will, allowing Cerebro to shut down.  Again forcing back her exhaustion, Wanda walked back to the door.  After taking a moment to steady her breathing, she opened the door and quietly floated herself past the still slumbering mutants to the blankets that Storm had given her.  A short nap to rejuvenate.  Just an hour or so of sleep was all she needed.

                Her defenses only slightly relaxed even in slumber, Wanda floated just beyond consciousness, her mind conjuring a face framed by titian hair and the scent of jasmine and roses.

A/N:  Trust me, this gets much juicier.  Just give it some time.


	2. Chapter Two

Author's Note:  Okay, this wasn't here last time, but I felt the need to put it in, since there's been a slight change in… something.

This is a reposting of Aftermath, due to the completely unconstitutional actions of ff.net.  I repost this entire story under an R rating due to the simple, unvarnished fact that I despise censorship in all its forms, and I refuse to allow ff.net to simply remove my words from their archive because it no longer suits them to host stories of a certain content.  Such action is deeply offensive to me and my bretheren, and I for one refuse to allow it to go unchallenged.  I submit to all those who read my words that this is a warning to everyone out there who loves their freedoms:  if given half a chance, they are very easily taken away by the Powers That Be.

Thoughts are bracketed ( {} ), in case the italics doesn't translate through the ff.net document manager.  It's kinda random about what HTML it will translate properly.

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Two  
By Lady Eternal  
  


                Lance woke at dawn, unable to sleep any longer.  Being the practical member of the Brotherhood, he was used to preparing breakfast early in the morning, lest Fred come down and ransack the kitchen.  The image, amusing as it was, still caused a sharp twinge of guilt.  It really shouldn't have mattered whether it was Mystique or the real Xavier; Lance never should have pulled back without Fred and Rogue.  He should have gotten them to safety, then dragged Speedy home by whatever body part he could get a firm grip on.  The fact that Pietro was likely also in Trask's 'custody' was also his fault.  The speed demon had learned only too well not to rebel against his father.  That, Lance couldn't really be angry about, even though he was steamed with the snowy-haired brat.  But kicking his ass was one thing; leaving him to get kidnapped and experimented on was quite another.

                Still, lying around thinking guilty thoughts wouldn't accomplish anything, and his stomach emphasized that concept by growling rather loudly.  With a soft grumble, Lance cast his blankets aside and got up, finger-combing his hair as he wandered towards daylight.  The others were slowly drifting out of the caves, sleep not coming easily despite their exhaustion; several simply walked through the falls as a substitute for a shower.  Storm was talking quietly with Scott and Jean under a tree; Lance walked over, glancing quickly at the pool where Todd was catching fish for breakfast while Magma and Tabitha built a fire.  "So, what's the plan?"

                "Thus far, we've managed to determine that very little of the Institute is going to be salvageable," Storm informed him solemnly.  "Aside from Cerebro and the aircraft, our major assets are two cars and a stable full of horses."

                "Cerebro still works?"

                "It has an independent power source and mainframe," Jean explained.  "The Professor and Magneto designed it that way in the event that the Institute was ever…"  She trailed off painfully, taking a deep breath.  "They would still be able to locate allies and enemies in the mutant population."

                "Sounds intelligent," Lance approved.  "Can any of you operate it?"

                "I've been training with it," Jean replied, "but my telepathic powers are nothing to the Professor's."

                "Do you think you could find Rogue and Fred and the others?"

                "Maybe."  Jean sighed, smiling as Scott put a comforting arm around her shoulders.  "Trask could have his own methods for shielding his facilities from telepaths.  Cerebro is just an amp; it can't punch through whatever shields Trask may have."

                "What about the Professor?"

                "I might have better luck finding him," Jean admitted.  "Wherever he is, he won't be shielding himself from Cerebro.  Unless Trask has him, I should be able to figure out where he is."

                "Then you should try," Storm urged softly.  "Lance, you and Scott should discuss what he needs to know about the Sentinels.  Come, Jean."  Standing, Storm beckoned Jean back to the caves.

                Scott glanced at Lance.  "I think she's sabotaging us."

                "What was your first clue?" Lance snorted.  "By the way, congrats:  I didn't think I'd ever meet someone faster than Pietro."

                Scott purpled with rage.  "Don't you **_ever_** talk about Jean that way."

                "Relax, Four-Eyes:  I meant you.  You've gone from pining to screwing so fast, even Speedy'd be impressed."  The flush quickly became one of embarrassment and Lance laughed.  "God, you're such a virgin."

                "Just because you take it anywhere you can get it-"

                "And what's that supposed to mean?" Lance demanded.

                "Tabitha."

                The name was thrown down like a gauntlet.  Lance knew what this was about:  Summers was trying to take the moral high road here, trying to make himself feel somehow superior to the Brotherhood despite the necessity of their collaboration against Trask.  It made the rock-tumbler sick.  "Look, Summers, you've spent way too much time being too Goddamned high on your horse; so I'm gonna do you a favor and educate you.  Tabitha does whatever the Hell she wants, whoever she wants, whenever she wants.  She knows when someone needs her and when someone needs to be left alone, and there are days when she needs to be left alone, too.  If we're using her, then she's using us right back.  Shit like that happens in the real world."

                Scott looked completely startled by Lance's bitter diatribe.  "What the Hell are you talking about?"

                "Take a good look at where we're coming from here, Shades," Lance bit out.  "Not just Pietro or Fred or Todd or me, but Tabby, too.  We don't come from families who can afford to send us to some secluded boarding school with a spiffy euphemism for why we're there.  We've lived in foster homes, under bridges, in condemned or abandoned buildings, sometimes with barely enough food to live on or clothes to keep the elements away.  Tabby's life wasn't completely desolate, but it wasn't great either."

                "That doesn't mean that you can just use people for your own selfish wants.  It's not fair to the other person, or to yourself in the long run."

                "Try getting pitched from your own home, by parents you thought gave a damn about you, and being called a freak on the way out the door," Lance replied darkly.  "It kinda fucks over your faith in humanity."  At Scott's troubled expression, Lance permitted himself a small smile of triumph.  "See, sex makes for great comfort, but we've had too many people screw us over to form deeper emotional ties easily.  It's hard to build the trust you need for them.  Affection without strings kinda helps; makes you feel human, even when everyone you've ever known tells you that you're not.  Tabitha needs that just as much as we do; even if she is annoying as Hell; and she's more than able to understand that it's highly likely we'll all eventually drift apart, find other people to make us happy, and be nothing more than pleasant memories to each other.  It's how you survive emotionally in a world that wants you dead or locked in some lab for being born able to do things no one else can."

                "Is that why you think we're naïve?  Because we believe that ordinary people can and will accept mutant-kind?"

                "Yes."  Lance's answer was clipped, his tone cold.  "I'd think Trask would be proof of that."

                "You can't judge the whole of humanity by the actions of one narrow-minded-"

                "You just don't get it, do you?" Lance snapped angrily.  "You think we're any different than the tribal cultures that white Imperialists stomped into the ground?  The witches they burned in Salem?  The prophets they silenced for speaking truths that powerful men couldn't stomach?  Or how 'bout something closer to home:  gays and lesbians, for instance?"

                "Okay, okay:  point taken."  Scott glanced at him curiously.  "Since when did you become so eloquent?"

                "Since some psycho just tried to kill me with a bad Voltron knock-off."

                The statement caught Scott so off-guard that he couldn't stop himself from laughing.  Realizing just how ridiculous his statement sounded, Lance started laughing as well.  It felt good to laugh over silly things; it took the edge off the shadows that threatened.  "You know, in another time and place, we might actually have been friends," Scott managed.

                "Maybe," Lance replied, his eyes twinkling with mischief.  "I'd still have to kick your ass first, though."

                Wanda watched the other mutants throughout the day, silent and hidden from the salvage teams and strategic planning groups.  There was no point right now in participating; their efforts were all but futile without their computers.  Those not immediately associated with the previous day's battle through the streets of Bayville had gone to acquire some meager supplies, and Tabitha had driven Todd and Lance to the Brotherhood's dilapidated manor to gather what supplies they could spare.  It wasn't unusual for no one to have noticed Wanda by now.  Wanda was good at being unobtrusive; years of isolation and rage and crippling pain made it easy.  But as the day wore on, Wanda kept hearing stories about the missing mutants.  Especially at dinner, as everyone huddled in the caves and told stories around the campfires to push back the shadows, Wanda heard silly anecdotes about Pietro and Fred and Evan, boasting of pranks on Wolverine and Beast, rueful tales of mischievous plans thwarted by the Professor.  But the stories told about Rogue by both sides caused a curious ache in Wanda's heart.  Certainly, the sixteen-year-old girl was lovely; Wanda had been haunted by her image from the moment she'd seen the titian-haired beauty.  But to hear so much of herself in the girl:  the isolation, the betrayal, the pain so deep that it forced a chasm between she and all who would ever want to get close…

                Finally, Wanda left the circle of mutants.  Night had fallen, which was what she had been waiting for.  Agatha had always told her that the night was her time.  {_You are more in tune with night rhythms, child.  You are at peace in the night.  Never ignore its call, for you are most powerful when the night breathes with you.}_  Wanda was about to test that theory.  For her brother, and for the enchanting girl who haunted her dreams, she was about to attempt the impossible.

                She walked into the ruins of the mansion, her eyes closed and her breath slowing.  She needed the right place… it had to feel…  Her footsteps stilled as she found the location she needed.  Her eyes still closed, Wanda let her mind relax, let her heart beat by the night alone…  She could feel the moon, sense every star… it was perfect.

                {_A ripple.  Just one gentle shake sends ripples… the fabric folds and slides… moments touching moments… I can do this… I can do this for her…}_

                Slowly, Wanda raised her hands, her arms stretched out before her with the palms facing out.  In her mind, she could see the fabric… just a gentle ripple… so gentle, else the sheer, filmy silk would snag and tear and chaos would reign…  Her hands began to tremble.  She ignored it.  Controlling the ripple was paramount, even for such a short distance…  The effort was so tightly controlled, so intensely focused, Wanda could feel her body humming, heat building around her… it was like being trapped in a hot vise… she ignored it, concentrating on the image in her mind… she only had to fold the fabric just enough for it to slip through…  {_Come on, damn you… just a little more… just… a…}_

                No one knew it was coming.  Without warning, a silent explosion caused the Earth to lurch beneath them, tossing everyone to the ground.  Kurt glared at Lance as he rolled the smaller mutant beneath his body protectively.  "What did you do?"

                "It wasn't me this time," Lance protested, a bit in awe.  "I've never been able to do **_that_**."

                Storm glanced up from where she had covered Jubilee's body, quickly counting heads and assessing any possible injuries.  Once again, they were one short.  "Where's Wanda?"

                Scott glanced once at Lance and the two boys quickly stood and began to check deeper in the caves.  Watching for unstable areas, Lance's brow furrowed.  "This isn't right."

                "What?"

                "There's no change to the rock.  No shifts, no slipping, no scoring… nothing."

                "Maybe it was contained… inside the Institute..."  Scott eyed the surrounding rock warily; Lance probably knew what he was talking about.

                "No… this is weird."  Lance kept walking, staying close to the walls.  This was one subject he'd actually paid attention to in school; one did not shake the earth without knowing the consequences.

                When they rounded the corner towards Cerebro through the ruins of the Institute, Scott stopped dead. So did Lance.  Neither teen was able to process what they were seeing.

                The doors to the Institute's lower levers stood solidly just beyond the cavern, as if they had always been there.

A/N:  ::hides behind Psycho B and Lord R as the angry mob comes looking for her head::  I know, I know!  That's a horrible place to leave you all hanging, but a dramatic pause is better than nothing.  Chapter Three is coming soon, though, and you'll all find out just what the Hell is going on.  Until then… don't hurt me?  Please?  ;-}


	3. Chapter Three

Author's Note:  Okay, gang, this is where several of you will likely come at me with sharp pointy objects unless I make one thing clear from the outset.  Between the info on Rosiel's page and my brief observations of Wanda, Pietro, and their interactions, I have come to the inescapable conclusion that Wanda is the dominant twin and Pietro is the submissive.  No, these are not S&M denominations, either:  these are the roles that twins almost invariably fall into.  As such, I write them according to the dynamic between dominant and submissive twins with which I have experience, especially that of Romani twins.  Please don't yell at me too loudly.  In case nobody can identify it, the song used in this chapter is Empty by Anathema.  We're dealing with Goths in this story, people; who did you expect me to use?

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden

Aftermath:  Chapter Three 

**_By Lady Eternal_**

                After a moment of open-mouthed shock, Scott turned on his two-way radio.  "Storm?"

                There was a startled pause.  Scott?  How on earth?

                "The Institute…" Scott croaked.  "It's back."

                The words somehow forced action through Lance's limbs.  He darted towards door; Scott grabbed his wrist.  "Let me in there."

                "We have to wait for Storm."

                "Let me in!"  Lance picked Scott up by the lapel.  "Wanda's in there."

                "And we don't know what we'll find," Scott replied.  "You can't rescue someone if you're out cold."

                Lance released Scott, taking a deep breath to steady himself.  {_For once, Four Eyes is right.}_

                Storm rounded the corner then, the others right behind her.  The sight of the Institute doors caused Storm's heart to skip, her step faltering for a moment before she strode to the door and punched in her access code.

                The doors slid open with a cool hiss, revealing the pristine metallic walls of the lower levels.  Carefully, Storm led the teens inside, her eyes sweeping their environment for signs of trickery or entrapment.  Jean gasped suddenly and everyone turned.  "What?"

                "It… it's real," Jean whispered.  "I don't know how, but… it's real…"  Jean met Scott's eyes once before she dropped to her knees with a cry, clutching the sides of her head.

                "Jean!"  Scott was there in a heartbeat, cradling her.  "Jean, what is it?"

                "No, it's… it's okay," Jean managed, though she made no move to leave Scott's embrace.  "It's just… echoes.  A cacophony of phantom memories suddenly rushed in…"  She looked up at Storm.  "Something… powerful happened…"  Suddenly, Jean glanced up as the last echoes faded from her mind.  "Do you guys hear that?"

                Everyone strained, listening.  "I can't hear anything," Kurt replied.  "There is nothing."

                Jean shook her head, standing.  "No, I hear it… it's music…"

                "Follow it," Storm instructed calmly.  "We will follow you."

                Jean walked through the lower levels, reaching the elevator.  Only peripherally was she aware of the other mutants following her, so completely focused was she on finding the source of the music in her mind.  
  
_                **Empty vessel under the sun  
                Wipe the dust from my face  
                Another morning  
                Black Sunday coming down again  
                Coming down again  
  
                Empty vessel, empty veins  
                Empty bottles wish for rain  
                In pain again  
                I wash the blood off my face,  
                The pus from my brain  
                In pain again  
                But I feel like pain again**_

                "Does she even know she's singing it?" Kitty asked Storm quietly.

                "Likely not," Storm replied.  "If whatever recreated the Institute is causing the music Jean is hearing, it is probably trying to communicate.  Since only Jean is able to actually receive its attempts, it may well be speaking through her so that the rest of us will hear its message."

                "Can someone really do that?"

                "A powerful enough telepath can.  The Professor can and has, though only in the most dire of situations."  
  
**_                I'm lookin' over my shoulder  
                'Cause millions will whisper  
                I'm killin' myself again  
                Maybe I'm dyin' fast  
                Because nothing ever lasts_**

**                I remember a night from my past  
                When I was stabbed in the back  
                And it's all coming back  
                'Cause I feel like pain again  
  
                I abhor you  
                I condemn you  
                'Cause this pain will never end  
                You got away without a scratch  
                And now you're walking on a rocky path  
                I have to laugh  
                But you'd better watch your back  
**  
                Todd glanced up at Lance.  "I heard this before, yo." 

                "Me, too."

                Forge was about to ask where when the elevator doors slid open.  Jean stepped out, guided only by the music growing louder in her mind.  Knowing only that Jean knew their destination, the group stepped out onto the girls' dormitory floor.  Turning the knob on the door to Rogue's room, Jean pushed it open with a light touch.  There, on the bed where Rogue had slept until just yesterday, lay Wanda.  
**  
                _This pathetic opposition  
                They're the cause of my condition  
                I'll be coming back for them  
                I've a solution for this sad situation  
                Nothing left  
                But to kill myself again  
                ('Cause I'm so empty)  
__  
_                Like a marionette cut from its strings, the powerful Goth lay in a crumpled heap.  Todd leaped forward, reaching the bed only a half step before Storm.  "She ain't breathin'," Todd reported gravely.**

                "Storm, it's her.  It's her I'm hearing," Jean asserted, her complexion pale from the implications of that statement.

                "That is one of her favorite songs," Lance confirmed.  At Kitty's questioning expression, Lance shrugged.  "She plays it a lot, anyway."

                Storm quickly assessed the situation.  She'd seen demonstrations of Wanda's abilities before, but not even the Professor could have guessed at this.  One thing was certain:  the girl radiated power, but she was barely able to keep her own heart beating.  {_Charles, where are you when we need you?  You would understand such magicks.}_  "Kurt, Kitty:  go down to the med lab and bring up one of the portable vital monitors, an IV setup, and a catheter.  Jean, Amara, get me cool water and cloths.  Forge, you check the computer systems; Scott, take the younger students and bring our camp inside.  Lance, what do you have of Wanda's from the manor?"

                "Everything; she didn't bring a whole lot with her from that mental ward."

                "Good; bring everything here.  Todd, I'll need you to stay with her when I go to move the aircraft."

                "Storm, what is going on?" Kurt asked.

                Storm brushed the hair from Wanda's face with a gentle breeze, looking up to gaze at her charges.  "Somehow, Wanda rebuilt the Institute."  The impact of that statement was visible.  Storm had to wait a moment before telling them the rest.  "She barely has enough vital energy left to keep her heart beating."

                A heartbeat later, the teens were racing to obey Storm's commands.

                {_Brother.}_

                Pietro huddled in a corner, waiting his chance.  Trask hadn't found him yet, but he was looking.  One Mach 3 sprint and Pietro would be out, away from Trask's men and able to rejoin Wanda and Lance.

                {_Brother.}_

                There.  The opening.  Pietro braced and then ran faster than he ever had, desperate to escape…

                {_Brother, have you forgotten my voice after all this time?}_

                Finally free, Pietro paused for breath.  No sign of pursuit.  Of course, he was halfway out of Bayville already.

_                {It matters not, Brother.  Soon, you will never have to wonder at my voice again.}_

_                {Damn it, Wanda; I was busy!  I got out of that lab.  I'm coming home.}_

_                {Then you will be in time to bury me.}_

_                {WHAT!!!  Wanda, what do you mean?}_

_                {I restored the X-men's Institute by folding time-space.  It was all I could think of to truly have a chance to save you.  Once again, you will live at my expense.}_

_                {Wanda, no!  Please don't die.  There must be something.}_

                {There is, but it would require your help.  You have never aided me when I needed it most.  You were too busy licking Father's boots.  I was a plaything, something to be enjoyed when times were good and set aside when I was not convenient.  I thought that we might once again be as we were as children, but now I see that you have simply outgrown your old toy.  It is for the best that I leave now, my Brother, and no longer intrude myself upon someone who has no use for me.}

                {I'll do it!  Anything!  Please, just don't die, Wanda.}

                {Then open to me, my brother.  Open your mind and heart to me as you have not since that day.}

                Pietro ran with all his strength, flinging open the twin bond frantically.  {Sister… Sister, I'm coming.}

                {Brother…}

                Wanda had been asleep for two days.  Storm had assigned the older mutants to watch her vitals in shifts, praying that she would waken.  There were many questions which required answering, including why she had been found in Rogue's room.  But Storm was not a medical doctor, nor a spirit healer.  Aside from keeping nutrients flowing into her body with the IV, Storm knew of nothing that might help the girl recover.

                Meanwhile, with the Institute once again whole and operational, there was a rescue operation to mount.  Scott and Lance bickered over strategy, possibilities of reconnaissance, who should even be on the strike team.  Storm was growing tired of their squabbling, but she knew of nothing that could halt them short of information.  {Charles would say that this will, eventually, prove to be a learning experience for Scott about leadership and effective teamwork… if we can ever get him past this territory-marking nonsense.  Lance would likely make an even better leader than Scott, except he's embroiled in the same contest.  If they don't work this out soon, I'm going to strangle both of them.}

                Into their stalled attempts at organization blasted Pietro.  In his effort to reach his twin, Quicksilver simply ran up the side of the mansion and through the open window.  Tumbling past a startled Kurt into Rogue's bed and curling Wanda close, the snowy-haired youth burst into tears, desperately afraid that he was too late.  Kurt was about to pull Pietro off Wanda, calling to Storm on his communicator as he rose, when he stopped in his tracks.

                There was no real change.  Just Pietro curled around Wanda with his head tucked submissively under her chin, weeping as a litany of apologies tumbled from his tongue.  But slowly, as though moving through wet cement, Wanda's arms lifted to embrace her brother.

                Storm came through the door a moment later.  It took her half a second to realize what had happened, and she breathed a sigh of relief.  "It will be all right, Kurt.  Just stay with them."

                "But, he was with Magneto," Kurt protested.

                Storm measured the twins up once more.  "Not anymore," she declared softly.  "Just stay until she wakes, Kurt, and let them be.  I'll explain later."

                Kurt shrugged as Storm left, muttering in German as he sat back down.

                Jasmine and roses.  Such delicate scents for such resilient beauty.  Wanda opened her eyes slowly, drinking in the feel of the room and her brother sleeping in her arms.  He had cried himself to sleep in his upset, clinging to Wanda as he had when they were children and something had frightened him.  Wanda smiled at that.  Faced with the ultimate separation, Pietro had come to heel.  It was a good sign:  Magneto had not broken her influence over him completely.  Once Pietro understood his place, she intended to deal with their father permanently.  Glancing around, she caught sight of Kurt, now appearing normal, seated by the window and reading.  "Hello, again," she murmured.

                Kurt looked up.  "Oh, you are awake.  Good.  Are you feeling better?"

                "Yes."  Wanda stroked Pietro's hair, quieting his shifting at hearing her voice.  "He has come back to me."

                Kurt's brow furrowed in confusion, but he reserved his questions for later.  "Do you want anything?"

                "Tea, if you have any.  Something to soothe my nerves."

                "Ja."  Kurt turned on his com-link.  "Storm:  she's awake, and she wants some hot tea."

                I'll be right up, Kurt.

                Wanda's eyes flickered around the room.  "Where am I?"

                "You're in Rogue's room," Kurt supplied.  "We found you here."

                Wanda nodded.  "Yes… is there any word?"

                "None.  We don't know enough about that place Trask has, or if everybody's still there.  Scott and Lance just bicker like hausfraus, and Jean is wearing herself out on Cerebro.  Nobody knows if they are even still alive."

                Stroking her twin's snowy hair again, Wanda's expression remained as inscrutable as ever.  "One of us does."

                Kurt's eyes followed hers, resting on the napping Quicksilver.  {Gott im Himmel… he was there… he knows if the others are all right, where they were being held… we might save them yet…}

                The door opened, and Storm stepped into the room, a silver tray in her hands.  Wanda smiled in relief when she saw the wisps of steam curling from the spout, the delicate china cup seated lightly upon a matching saucer, the creamer and sugar bowl set on the remaining corners of the tray.  Shifting up in the bed, Wanda jostled Pietro, who woke with a grumble.  "Wake up, brother.  My tea has arrived, and I can't drink it on my back."

                Fortunately, Storm was wise enough to hold onto the tea tray.  The moment his sister's words penetrated his consciousness, Pietro's eyes flew open and Wanda was being clutched about the middle while he once again rattled off a series of tongue-tying apologies and pleas for absolution.  Of course, only Wanda understood what was flying off her brother's tongue, for the lightening-quick words were also being directed at the valley between Wanda's breasts.  It mattered little.  Wanda chuckled softly, stroking her brother's hair again.  "Brother, it's all right.  I'm in one piece… though none of this would have happened had you not betrayed me to Magneto."  When Pietro flinched, Wanda made a soft chiding sound and urged him up.  "Now let me drink my tea.  We have much to do and little time."  Taking the tray with a gracious smile from Storm, Wanda swiftly poured the steaming water over the tea bag.  The scent was light, soothing.  "Sassafras; excellent."  Ignoring the cream and sugar, she allowed her tea to steep.

                Storm gauged the Goth carefully.  Her attitude was civil, genteel… completely out of character with the enraged and powerful mutant they had first encountered, as well as the withdrawn and inscrutable young woman that had joined them a few days ago.  "Are you feeling better?" Storm asked carefully.

                "I am, now that my brother has returned to me," Wanda replied.  She sipped at her tea with an elegant grace.  "But that's not what you really want to know.  You want to know why I am not the raging psychotic that you knew me to be."

                For a moment, Storm blinked.  Was the girl telepathic as well?  "It is a valid question."

                "And easily read on your face," Wanda replied.  "I have no reason to direct my rage against anyone but the party responsible for forcing my brother and I apart, now that my brother understands where he belongs.  Magneto alone will bear the full brunt of my wrath."

                "Then you did restore the Institute."

                Wanda nodded.  "I simply created a ripple in space-time, which caused the fabric of reality to fold against itself.  That allowed a copy of the Institute from the recent past to slip through and enter this part of reality.  It's… very subjective; I really don't understand all of what's involved."

                "How did you do it, then?" Kurt asked.

                "I just… did."  Wanda shrugged, sipping at her tea as her eyes took in the room around her.  "If it wouldn't be too much trouble, I think it would be appropriate for my brother and I to move into a different room.  We have much to discuss…"  She glanced pointedly at Pietro, who flinched in misery.  "… and probably should not take up permanent residence in Rogue's room while doing so."

                Storm nodded.  "Of course."  After a moment's hesitation, she asked, "How did you end up in Rogue's room?"

                "That, I truly don't know the answer to.  I passed out from the exhaustion once the Institute slid into place; the last thing I remember before waking up here was making sure that the fabric was smooth once again and releasing it."

                Her answer disturbed Storm somehow; there was something here that she wasn't seeing.  Still, if Wanda didn't know, or didn't want to share, Storm saw no reason to anger the Goth by pressing the matter.  Standing, she gestured to Kurt.  "Come, we should select a room for the twins."  Turning back, Storm gave Wanda a motherly smile.  "I'm glad you're all right, dear, and thank you."

                "You're welcome," Wanda replied.  She waited until the door was closed, then fixed Pietro with a steely gaze.  "Now then, Brother:  you're going to tell me exactly what that madman is doing, in the minutest detail you can recall, and if you leave anything out, I will make certain you don't move for a month."

                Pietro looked up at his sister in hurt astonishment.  "Sister…"

                "You are far from redeeming yourself, Brother.  Start talking, **_now_.**"

A/N:  Never fear; Pietro is here!  But things can only get more interesting with Speedy in the picture… and we still have a rescue to mount.  Stay tuned!


	4. Chapter Four

Author's Note:  Finally!!!!! We finally get to the slashy goodness.  I know this is the part you've all been waiting for, but I'm going to warn you, it's not going to stop here.  My fics tend to become epic on me if I'm not careful, and I think this one is going to do just that.  Anyway, I'm really hoping I don't get killed for this one.  ::hides behind Lord R, who brandishes a sword at all those who threaten Lady Eternal with sharp pointy things::  My stories tend to write themselves; I just hit the keys.  FYI:  I know that there have been several indications in the series that some of the characters share rooms.  For the purposes of this story, we're going to take some artistic license and ignore that idea, mostly because I already had half of this story written on the assumption that they had separate rooms by the time I discovered that they might not.  ;-D  Whoops!  I warned you in the beginning that there'd be stuff wrong with this story.

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Four  
By Lady Eternal 

                A few hours later, Pietro was repeating everything he had told his sister to the inner circle of mutants.  It hurt to see Lance glowering at him almost as much as the fact that Wanda sat beside him, still and disapproving.  The speedster had never seen either of them so angry with him.  {It's not like it was my fault.  Dad made me do it!}

                {I warn you, Brother:  don't try that excuse with me.  You had no choice but to obey him when we were children.  That, I forgave you long ago.  But you made a conscious choice to collaborate with him now, after I was returned to you… a circumstance that you also did nothing about.  You will not earn forgiveness for either of those transgressions by claiming to have been bullied.  Now answer Cyclops' question.}

                Cowed by his sister's rebuke, Pietro answered the older mutant almost meekly.  "No, I didn't see the Professor there.  Trask kept everyone in separate cells, but they were all in the same place."

                "Then how did you escape?" Jean asked.

                "And alone?" Todd echoed angrily.

                "Rogue told me to.  We were right next to each other, and she said that since I was the fastest, I stood the best chance of getting out and getting back here.  She… she wanted me to get here and get help."

                "Is she okay?" Forge asked softly.  "And everybody else?"

                "I think so," Pietro replied.  "Wolverine was pretty badly hurt before that mess, but he's okay now.  Trask seems to be concentrating on getting that Sentinel up and running again; it got pretty thoroughly trashed… and I guess he's making more, too."

                Everyone's eyes widened at that.  Storm leaned forward.  "Are you certain of that, Pietro?"

                "That's what it sounded like.  He kept talking about needing to send them someplace:  Genosha, I think it was.  I don't know where that is."

                Storm sat back, feeling the blood drain slowly from her face.  More of those monsters…  "Thank you, Pietro.  We're going to need you to help map out the interior of that complex, but for now, I think it would be best if we all got something to eat and some rest."  Without another word, Storm stood and walked out.

                Slowly, the others followed suit, chilled to the bone by Storm's behavior.  This was bad.  They knew it was.  And they still didn't know where Professor Xavier was.  Jean slipped under Scott's arm as he walked out, trying to comfort him.  Pietro gazed almost pleadingly at Lance.  "Lance?"

                "Shut up, Pietro."  Lance tried to walk past him, desperately trying to contain his fury.

                "Lance, please…"

                The rock-tumbler stopped in front of him, his back resolutely turned.  "You don't wanna push this right now, Pietro.  You really don't.  You betrayed us.  If it weren't for you, Rogue and Fred wouldn't be in trouble, and we wouldn't have to team up with the X-men to rescue anybody.  You really, **really** don't wanna push me right now."

                Pietro recoiled, cut to the quick by Lance's harsh rejection of his appeals.  The hand he was reaching out towards Lance's shoulder dropped, and Pietro let Lance walk out.  Miserably, he turned to Wanda.  "I really messed up, didn't I?"

                "He will forgive you when he forgives himself," Wanda replied.  "You betrayed us, but he left the others behind.  Being the eldest, he feels responsible."  She held his eyes with a piercing stare.  "I know what that feels like."

                "Sister, I didn't have a choice…"

                "Yes, you did, Brother."  Her eyes never left her brother's, her quiet expression carved in stone.  "You had a choice between Magneto and me."

                The softly spoken words hit Pietro like a slap to the face.  Though he desperately willed it not to happen, the speedster's face crumpled like old newspaper, a stifled sob escaping his throat.  The weight of the ramifications of his allegiance with Magneto dragged on him until he sank against the wall, once again crying like a child.

                Wanda watched as reality finally caught up with her submissive.  Without moving an inch, she took in the sight of her brother's realization of just how many relationships he had damaged because of his obedience to his father.  {Go to our room,} she finally commanded.  {I will bring you something to eat, but I don't think it would be a good idea for you and Lance to be in the same room any more than necessary right now.}

                {I love him, Sister… what am I going to do?}

                {Whatever penance is required of you, Brother, by Lance and I and anyone else who decides to exact it from you rather than forgive and forget… and I think you will find that an extremely unlikely possibility.  Now go; I will join you for dinner soon.}

                Too hurt by and frightened of losing those he loved best to run, Pietro pushed himself away from the wall and walked up to the dorm room that had been set up for he and his sister, his eyes red with tears and his steps as leaden as his heart.

                When he was on his way to the dormitory floor, Wanda walked out of the briefing room and caught an elevator to the dining hall.  She wished that she didn't have to rebuke Pietro so harshly, but it was time that her submissive learned the consequences of allegiance to their father.  But other thoughts plagued her mind as well:  tremors against her soul that she had felt ever since restoring the Institute.  {Agatha?}

                {Chai?  Are you all right?}

                {I'm not sure.  I've been feeling the strangest flutters against my soul… there are things I don't understand.}

                {What reaction do you have to these flutters?}

                {It's like… like something is trying to get my attention, though I when I look around, I see nothing.}

                {Perhaps you are looking in the wrong places, chai.  Keep your eyes and senses open.  It will come to you in time.}

                {I know.  Are you well?}

                {I am, though Raven is sorely displeased at the rebellion of her young recruits.  She has been like a madwoman, given to rages that sack the house.  I think that moving my caravan away from the manor was for the best.}

                {You are wandering, then?}

                {I am near enough that if necessary you could come to me.  I have seen many changes in your life and those of your compatriots in the cards, and I do not think it would be wise to wander until you are beyond them.}

                {The cards… my deck!  The boys wouldn't have known where it was when they went to retrieve my things.  It's still at the house!}

                {Never fear, chai.  I already removed your deck from the manor.  You will find it safely tucked away in your new home.}

                {Thank you, Agatha.}

                {You're welcome, child.  I will be near if you need me.}

                Taking a deep breath, Wanda stepped off the elevator as the doors slid open, reassured that things were still within the realm of her control.

                After dinner, Lance headed down to the danger room rather than to his new dorm.  Pietro's reappearance had upset the rock-tumbler's equilibrium even more than the idea of teaming up with Summers.  His initial relief was nothing compared to the hurt and anger that welled up within him barely a heartbeat later.  Pietro had been a willing participant in that scenario; he had chosen of his own volition to spy for his father, to help arrange the presence of the Brotherhood as well as the X-men in that supply yard… the idea rose up and choked Lance, cutting off his breath and bringing tears to his eyes.  {Goddammit to Hell… for all I know, he was pretending the whole fucking time… did he ever give a damn about us?  About… me?  No.  No, I'm not gonna think like this.  I'm not gonna go down that road.  I'm just gonna go beat the Hell outta some machines that aren't programmed to blast me out of existence.}

                The sounds coming from behind the doors told Lance that someone else was experiencing a similar need for a workout.  Not really caring whether or not he had company, Lance opened the doors anyway, ready for whatever might come at him as he walked in.

                He wasn't prepared for a ball of blue fur to come barreling at him in an attempt to escape a long-armed claw.  The flying body hit him full-force, throwing him back through the doors.  Grabbing for anything solid, Lance only managed to get a hold of a furry blue body as he tumbled backwards, bringing his accidental attacker along for the ride.  A male voice sputtered German curses as they rolled, and Lance just started laughing.  He couldn't help himself.  He'd come down here for a workout, and wound up with an armful of fuzzy blue elf.  {What a day.}  "You okay, Kurt?"

                "Ja, I'm okay," Kurt replied, shaking his head to clear the tumbling sensation.  Orienting himself, he realized that he and Lance were sprawled out on the floor, his body draped over Lance's the long way.  It was a situation he wasn't sure he wanted to be in; as many assurances that Storm had given them that the time for strife between the Brotherhood and the X-men was over, at least temporarily, Kurt wasn't sure he wanted to subject himself to any cruel taunts or off comments about his true appearance.  Not only that, but the Brotherhood was, or at least had been, his birth mother's personal little militia.  Kurt didn't like the idea of being compared in any way with the woman who had given birth to him and then turned him over to Magneto for genetic experimentation.  "Sorry."

                "Nah, it was my fault; I shoulda just waited until the program stopped before I walked in."  Lance smiled softly, his arms still loosely wrapped around Kurt's body.  The position was comfortable, and Lance liked being comfortable… it hadn't happened very often in his young life…  "Needed to blow off some steam?"

                "Sort of."  Kurt shifted just a little; the long, solid frame of the man beneath him had definitely not escaped his attention, but he didn't want Lance to know about that.  {It's bad enough that he knows that I'm Mystique's freakish bastard son; I don't want him finding out I'm bi, too!}  "You looked pretty mad at Pietro in the briefing room."

                "The kid almost got the lot of us killed," Lance replied, a bit of anger creeping into his tone.  "I can usually forgive the stupid shit people do; I'm no angel, either.  Pie crossed a line… at his usual speed, too.  I'm not ready to forgive that just because he says he's sorry."  Absently, Lance stroked a hand down Kurt's back.  The younger boy's lithe frame felt good in his arms… vibrant… {I could use the sex more than I could use a workout… but is he…?}

                Kurt watched the play of emotions across Lance's face, noticing every flicker of those soft brown eyes.  The strong, masculine body beneath him was beckoning, and that mop of brown hair was positively begging to be brushed from Lance's brow.  Without stopping to think about it, Kurt followed his impulse, lifting one furry hand to brush the hair from Lance's face.

                The gesture was almost softer than the fur that caressed Lance's forehead.  It hearkened back to a memory of elementary science class:  the teacher passing a swatch of rabbit fur around as part of a static electricity demonstration.  This fur was just as soft to the touch, plush and full and warm… Lance couldn't help himself.  It had been too much in too short a time without any sort of real emotional release.  Lacing a hand into that navy blue hair, Lance pulled Kurt's mouth down to his for a passionate kiss.

                A moment of surprise swiftly melted under Lance's heat.  Kurt's body sighed into his, his tail curling around Lance's ankle as his hands slipped up into that soft sable hair.  Lance felt his acceptance and pulled him tighter, his hands cradling Kurt's sleek, lithe body close to his.  Even the fur on Kurt's face was silky smooth beneath Lance's fingers; Lance sighed in delight as his tongue dipped into the honeyed cave of Kurt's mouth, just grazing the points of Kurt's canines.  He smelled like fresh peaches…  "Damn, you smell good," Lance whispered softly.

                "Do you have any idea how much conditioner this fur needs?" Kurt replied, playfully nipping at Lance's lower lip.  "But I thought you were interested in Pietro."

                "Not as interested as I am in you right now."  Careful not to roll over Kurt's tail, Lance changed their positions, giving him better access to those soft lips and that svelte frame.  Kurt arched into his hands as he stroked the length of that glorious body, and Lance was caught by the sudden, undeniable urge to take him right then and there, forgoing any attempt at foreplay… His hands went to the zipper of that suit and he barely remembered that they weren't exactly in private.  "We're… likely to attract an audience down here," Lance managed, his lips brushing over Kurt's as he formed the words.

                "If you say so," Kurt replied, nipping at Lance's lip again.  "Your room or mine?"

                "Yours; we'll just have to remember to lock the door."

                "Not a problem."  Kurt wrapped his entire body around Lance's long, hard frame and kissed him openly.  He then teleported to his room, just inside the closed door.

                If Lance had noticed the ride they'd just taken, it was peripherally at best.  Kurt's open mouth beneath his, his legs locked tightly around Lance's waist drove Lance half mad.  Fumbling wildly, Lance reached up and locked the door even as his other hand found the zipper to Kurt's battle-spandex.  Kurt was just as eager as he, those furry fingers pulling at Lance's clothes.  He managed to get Lance's shirt off before Lance simply picked him off the floor and stood, pressing him up against the wall in an effort to peel the spandex away and still use both hands to drive Kurt wild.  No sooner had Lance shucked the suit away than his fingers were sunk to the knuckles in Kurt's fur, massaging the flesh beneath and stroking in ways that had Kurt purring in ecstasy…  It was endearing and erotic; Lance had never known anyone who could literally purr before…  The furry blue elf was anchored tightly against his body, and Lance quickly carried him to bed.

                The elf liked being comfy, too; Lance could tell that from the nest of overstuffed pillows and warm quilts that graced the bed.  Lance lowered him into the nest tenderly, watching those pale eyes watching him as he cast aside his own unwanted clothing.  The hungry, passionate expression was so tempting… Lance slid into the nest beside him, curling Kurt close to his body and kissing him again.  Kurt melted into his embrace, eagerly responding to those beguiling lips.  Lance was obviously experienced; for one white-hot second, Kurt was wildly jealous of Pietro and Tabitha… but it didn't matter when Lance began stroking his body again, his fingers combing through Kurt's soft fur and igniting a thousand tiny fires in his blood.  He arched up into Lance's hands, needing Lance closer, needing more… it was so likely that this would never happen to him again after tonight…

                And Lance was determined to take forever in this one night.  With devastating expertise and heart-stopping tenderness, Lance explored every inch of Kurt's body, finding just the right places to stroke, to scratch, to poke his nose into the fur and nibble the sensitive skin beneath… Lance drank in the sight of him, the scent of peaches and femme in that soft fur.  The fluffy texture of it was a caress against his skin, especially when Kurt writhed and twisted beneath him, pressing their hips together… Lance groaned as Kurt's long, only slightly furry erection rubbed against his own, sending sizzling tremors through his entire body.  Capturing Kurt's lips once again, Lance's hands gripped Kurt's ass tightly, massaging the taut globes and the muscles between them.  Kurt moaned and trembled in Lance's arms, needing Lance so desperately… just once, he wanted this…

                Lance was still kissing him as he slipped inside, still massaging even as he sank inch by inch into that incredibly tight warmth.  Kurt gasped, clutching even as he tried to relax, to open more for Lance… it was wonderfully foreign, a welcome intrusion… and Lance just kept right on kissing him, distracting him as he sank to the hilt…

                Fully seated, Lance had to pause for breath.  Kurt's grip on him was unbelievably tight, impossibly deep; it was all Lance could do to give the adorable elf a moment to adjust rather than simply pound endlessly into him.  Kurt's fingers were digging into Lance's back, his legs locked tightly around his waist, his tail curled around his leg, stroking along the sensitive skin of Lance's ankle.  Lance shivered, bringing a gasp from Kurt as the tremble followed the length of Lance's erection inside him.  For long, heady moments, Kurt clung to Lance's solid frame, desperately trying to commit to memory this feeling of wholeness, of tender fullness… of being **wanted**…

                Finally, Lance dipped his head, just brushing his lips over Kurt's in a light, questioning caress.  Kurt's lips reached for his eagerly, brushing against his just before he captured Lance's lower lip in his teeth and tugged playfully.  Lance sealed his mouth against Kurt's, coaxing his lip from those sharp teeth.  "You okay?" he murmured.

                "Why you think I would not be?"  Kurt smiled softly up at Lance.  "This is the first time we haven't been trying to hurt one another."

                The truth of those words struck a powerful chord in the rock-tumbler.  {Why were we really fighting one another, anyway?  I might have thought the X-geeks were stupid, but I never actually wanted to do more than kick Summers around a couple of times.  What am I doing fighting Mysti's war?  Or Magneto's?  Why are they fighting Xavier's?  It doesn't make any sense… but this makes sense.  Right here, right now, life makes sense.}

                The expression in Lance's eyes was so strange that for a moment, Kurt thought he might have said something wrong.  That frightening misconception was shattered as Lance curled his strong arms around Kurt's slender body and kissed him so openly and so honestly that Kurt almost cried for the love it seemed to confer… and then Lance slowly stroked inside him.

                Kurt gasped and arched into Lance, his fingers tightening into Lance's shoulders.  Lance groaned softly as Kurt's tail twitched against his ankle, the hot, tight depth of Kurt's body clutching at him.  It was pure bliss… nothing else mattered… just the sweet, loving stroke of one body into another… one body sheathing the other… Kurt wanted to sob for the joy of it… for once in his life not being defined by this damnable blue fur…  "More, Lance… please…"

                "How much more, Kurt?" Lance teased.  His whole body was shaking; he was trying not to shake the building down around their ears…

                Swiftly, Kurt leaned up and caught Lance's earlobe between his lips.  The whole bed shuddered as Lance nearly lost all restraint.  "Rock my world," Kurt whispered huskily.

                The elf almost got more than he bargained for.  Lance let go, focusing entirely upon driving deep and hard and strong into Kurt's ass.  Determined not to hurt the younger boy, Lance turned every iota of expertise he'd gleaned from his previous liaisons to Kurt's advantage, caressing and nibbling and suckling until Kurt thrashed and bucked wildly beneath him, grinding his hips against Lance's, taking him deeper than even Lance thought he could go… Lance absorbed every gasp, every cry, every moan of ecstasy into his soul, needing the release, the affection, the absolution…

                Kurt's ass clamped down on him as he drove Kurt over the edge and Lance couldn't hold on.  Only vaguely did he feel the bed vibrating beneath them as he erupted inside Kurt, clinging to the younger mutant just as hard as Kurt clung to him.

                For long moments, neither seemed able to move.  Neither really wanted to.  Kurt was soaking up the affection like a thirsty sponge, and Lance wasn't about to let go of Kurt after an orgasm like that.  He didn't even want to open his eyes.  After all, the furry elf was snuggling into him like a contented kitten, that soft-furred tail still wrapped around Lance's ankle.  Lance was feeling fairly content himself; in fact, he hadn't felt this peaceful with any lover he'd ever taken…

                Except Pietro.

                Guilt rushed over Lance, washing away much of the euphoric tenderness he'd been feeling.  It was one thing to have strayed from Pietro's bed; Lance knew that Pietro would eventually forgive him.  But Lance could easily tell that Kurt had been a virgin, and not just in the gay sense, either.  Much as Lance didn't want to part with the adorable cuddly elf just now, he still loved Pietro; still wanted to eventually get back together with the snowy-haired speedster.  That wasn't fair to Kurt, far less fair than a brief infidelity was to Pietro… especially when Lance knew the odds of anyone getting past Kurt's less-than-normal appearance as he just had.

                Kurt knew what Lance was thinking about.  He could feel it in his lover's body.  It didn't matter; he'd already accepted the reality of the situation.  Lance opened his mouth and Kurt cut him off with a shake of the head.  "Nein."

                "Kurt…"

                Soft fingers covered the rock tumbler's lips.  "Nein, mein liebe.  Talking is for later."  Before Lance could respond, Kurt leaned up and kissed him gently.

                {This really isn't fair…} Lance thought to himself.  {He deserves someone who'll love him forever… someone who'll never get enough of stroking his soft fur, kissing those sweet lips… just tonight isn't enough… but just for tonight, I'm all he has.}  Abandoning all thoughts of justice, Lance deepened the contact between them.  "Beautiful…" he murmured, just before he lost himself once again in the sweet, hot depths of Kurt's passion.

A/N:  Um… hi!  ::hides from all Lance/Kitty and Pietrance fans::  Don't hurt me!  It's okay, I promise!  I honestly do have a plan!  Just be gentle; I'm feeling very fragile today.  :-}


	5. Chapter Five

Author's Note:  All righty then… when we last left our heroes, there was slashy goodness.  Well, guess what?  Here's more!  I promise that I'm moving the plot along; just be patient.  We're gonna eventually get to the real reason for this story.  Can't a girl take the scenic route while she's at it?  ::rolls eyes::  Sheesh.  People can be so impatient.  ::grins facetiously::  Aww, you guys know I love ya.  Anyway…

Please don't ask to know what the actual cards were that Wanda draws in her reading for Pie-Pie.  I did the reading at the time, but I left out what the cards were for artistic flow, and right now, I couldn't remember them all if I tried.  Just be assured that I didn't pull that reading out of thin air and enjoy the story.

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Five  
By Lady Eternal 

                Kurt woke that morning to the scent of breakfast and a gorgeous man.  Lance had obviously woken early and gone to the kitchen to prepare a tray for two, complete with juice, toaster pastries, and oranges.  It was a very sweet, intimate thing to do, and Kurt blushed as Lance gathered him close for a warm kiss.  "Morning."

                "Guten morgen," Kurt murmured.  "You brought breakfast."

                "I figured you'd be hungry," Lance replied, settling Kurt into his lap and the tray into Kurt's.  "You got quite a workout last night."  Kurt's blush turned brighter, earning a warm chuckle from Lance.  "God, you're beautiful when you blush."

                Slowly, Kurt's gaze turned up to Lance's face.  There was such… innocence in that expression that Lance felt a surge of compassion and guilt.  No one had ever cuddled him and told him how lovely he was, how exquisitely soft his fur felt against their skin; the beautiful German boy had no idea how perfect he really was… and the first person to tell him so was only doing it because his other lover had pissed him off.

                In that moment, as Kurt's pale eyes searched Lance's darker ones for sincerity, Lance wanted to stay here forever.  To nestle with his fluffy blue elf and be warm and safe and tell him over and over how cherished and lovely and worthwhile he truly was.  A thousand images flashed through his mind:  moments of quiet domesticity, of hearth and home, maybe… maybe even adopting another unwanted child, raising it with more love and tenderness than he'd ever been shown…  Much as it scared the Hell out of him, a part of Lance desperately wanted that future… wanted it enough to say 'yes'.

                "Yes what?"

                Lance started; he'd spoken the thought aloud.  Kurt was looking at him in confusion.  And then he suddenly realized how crazy it would sound:  professing his sudden, undying love for the adorable elf after one night of sex.  Incredibly passionate, intoxicatingly satisfying sex, true; but Kurt would never believe it.  Swiftly, Lance shoved the tantalizing fantasies away.  "Yes, you are beautiful, Kurt," Lance recovered, as if that had been his meaning all along.  Taking up an orange, he peeled it quickly and held a section to Kurt's lips.  "But… breakfast should get eaten, before it gets ignored."

                Kurt blushed again, accepting the morsel from Lance's fingers.  Allowing himself a playful urge, he snagged one of Lance's fingers and suckled gently, swirling his tongue around the tip.  Lance groaned, ducking his head to lick to curve of that delicately pointed ear.  Kurt shivered as Lance swiftly moved the tray before Kurt's sudden erection could upset it.  {Ah-ha… an elfin hot spot.}  Lance curled the lobe into his mouth like plucking a berry from the stem.  Kurt shivered.  "What… what about breakfast?"

                "Devil breakfast," Lance murmured hotly.  His tongue traced the shell of Kurt's ear, drawing a long, low moan from the elf.  "This is more important."

                With a pleasant tremble, Kurt melted in Lance's arms in hearty agreement.

                Several hours later, Lance was emerging from the showers when he noticed Summers in the hall by Lance's dorm.  The redhead was standing there with his arms crossed, obviously waiting for someone.  Taking a deep breath, Lance walked over to his room.  "You waitin' for me?"

                "Yeah, I am."  Standing up away from the wall, he reached up and nudged his glasses down just far enough to blast Lance across the hall.  Lance gasped for breath as he hit the ground, rolling out into Scott's legs as Scott advanced on him and knocking the redhead to the floor.  All at once, Scott disregarded his mutant powers and simply attacked, wrestling with the brunette mutant out of a purely selfish need to release his rage.

                Their fight was far from quiet; they quickly drew the others into the hall, where the younger mutants stared at them in shock.  Wanda and Pietro were among the last to arrive, Pietro nearly trampling people on his way through the crowd.  But before even the speed demon could intervene, a thunderclap rolled through the hall as the two elder mutants were tossed apart by a sudden arc of lightening.  Lance cursed in surprise as Scott choked on the stench of ozone, each dragging himself up the wall in an effort to reorient himself.

                Storm strode through the crowd looking as angry as her name, her hair and fingertips crackling from the residual static electricity of raising the lightening.  For a moment, she simply looked from one boy to the other, her face a mask of fury.  She then turned her head just slightly to address the others.  "Go downstairs, all of you."  When the younger mutants hesitated, startled by Storm's rage, she barked an additional:  **"****Go!****"**

                The others scattered like mice, leaving their leaders to face Storm's anger.  When they were gone, Storm rounded on the two boys.  "Idiots!  Have you no sense at all?  Or are you determined to knock it from each other's heads?"

                Scott struggled to stand, but Storm knocked him off-balance with a gust of wind.  "Storm-"

                "I don't want to hear it!" Storm cut in, incensed.  "You, of all people, Scott:  the professor would be ashamed of you.  These kinds of petty squabbles are uncalled for during times of such crisis, and unbecoming of he who would be a leader of men.  You ought to be ashamed of yourself, putting your personal issues above the lives and safety of those who follow you.

                "And as for you, Lance, you've done absolutely nothing to alleviate this untenable situation.  Did you honestly think that seducing Kurt, no matter what your motives, would have no effect on his compatriots?  And don't look so surprised; there may be more people living under this roof than there were in the manor where Mystique housed you and your friends, but it remains just as impossible to keep secrets for long, especially when absences at the breakfast table are so easily noted.

                "Now, as if the two of you weren't already aware, we have lives to save:  lives of our friends and companions.  There will be no more squabbling, no more outbursts of temper, no more pointless spitting contests.  The two of you will find a way to work together, or neither one of you will be in charge of anything but cleaning out the lavatories for a full year.  Is that clearly understood?"

                Lance wanted to argue, to snap that Storm had no authority to either order him around or punish him, but the weather witch looked a little too intimidating at the moment.  The rock tumbler wasn't fool enough to tempt her rage just now, and he was sick to death of Summers' high-and-mighty attitude anyway.  Nodding silently, he watched as Scott also grudgingly agreed, hauling himself off the floor and stalking away.  Cautiously, Lance also stood.  "I'm not going to apologize for anything I've done," he told Storm stubbornly.  "Your boy needs to learn to accept that the entire world isn't going to live by his supposedly superior moral code."

                Storm turned her pale blue eyes on Lance, and the rock tumbler fought off the urge to squirm under their steady gaze.  "He will learn, eventually," she replied.  "And I'd be very disappointed in you if you did apologize.  You're far from a cruel young man, Mr. Alvers.  Angry, yes; but not cruel."

                Taking a deep breath, Lance walked past her into his room, closing the door and locking it against the world.

                In another part of the mansion, Wanda was curling her brother against her chest, stroking his snowy hair as he wept against her.  He'd stayed just long enough to find out why Lance and Scott had been fighting, and the reason had broken his heart.  He'd lost Lance.  The one person who'd ever taken care of him the way that his sister had when they were children, and he'd lost him to an X-jerk.  {A furry blue bitch of an X-geek.  Oh, God… God, I wanna die…}

                {It's all right, Brother,} Wanda soothed.  {You're going to be all right.  You don't know what happened between them; it might have been casual-}

                {Lance doesn't have casual sex anymore!  Not since we… oh, God, Sister… he told me he loved me… he told me he loved me and I couldn't say it back and now he's left me…}

                {Why didn't you say it back, Brother?  If you love him so, why couldn't you say it?}

                {Because… I haven't said it since Father sent you away…}

                Though it was a sobering thought, Wanda couldn't help smiling just a little at that.  Pietro truly had not forgotten what they had meant to one another.  He had simply survived, but what their father had forced him to sacrifice so that he might had left scars just as deep as her own.  There was certain symmetry to that.  Kissing him softly on the forehead, Wanda wiped the tears from her brother's azure eyes.  {It will be all right, Brother.  I promise.  Why don't I read the cards for you; tell you what they see?  Would that help?}

                {You… you can read the cards?}

                {Agatha taught me; she thought it best, considering the domain of my powers.  Come on; blow your nose and wipe your eyes while I get my deck.}

                Pietro complied, his still watery eyes watching his sister's every move while she opened her closet and reached into the pocket of a cloak she found there.  Rather than a cape like their father's, Wanda's cloak was hooded and black as night, brushing the floor even from the hook in the closet door.  Settling herself onto the floor, Wanda unwrapped her cards from their cloth and spread the silk out.  When Pietro seated himself across from her, she handed her brother the cards.  {Shuffle them three times in your right hand, three times in your left, and three times in your right again; but don't bridge them.  Concentrate on the question you wish answered as you do so, and then give them back to me.}  Pietro complied with his signature swiftness, handing the cards back to Wanda before the last card had even settled into its place in the deck.  Wanda chuckled to herself, then repeated the procedure, thinking on the question that she knew he wanted answered:  would he and Lance ever be happy again?

                Turning over nine cards in quick succession, Wanda's mind quickly turned over the meanings as she scanned them.  {You found a new home, a place of refuge, and it was there that you met someone with a love of romance, a person who is strong of will and wants hearth and home.  They wanted to reach towards a happy life and inspired you to want the same; they gave you stability.  But despite the progress you were making together, you grew impatient, feeling the weight of those dreams resting too heavily on your shoulders; in spite of the goal that was nearer than you thought, you abandoned it and your dreams.  Now, in the aftermath of the upheaval that abandonment caused, you and your lover will learn to cope with the consequences one day at a time.  Things will never be the same between you, but you will be at a new home and the current trouble will subside.  The end of the road will be the happy home that you both want.}

                {But what about the furry blue bitch?}  Pietro asked, startled by how accurate Wanda's reading had been.

                Wanda collected her cards, then quickly shuffled them again, dealing out only three this time.  A fourth card slipped from her deck, crossing the final card.  For a moment, Wanda reached out to remove it, but then simply set her deck aside, realizing its purpose.  {Though there has been a betrayal, it has forced a necessary change in the path you and your lover were taking.  A poorly made decision will force someone into a situation of spiritual devastation, leaving them with nowhere to go for warmth or caring and little confidence or hope after so many misfortunes.}

                {Who?}

                Wanda picked up her cards again, shuffling swiftly.  She already had a good idea of whom, but she needed Pietro to believe.  Quickly, she dealt one final card.  {A free spirit, crushed under the weight of forced convention.  A rebellious, ebullient nonconformist who loves life and living, but whose spark is ruthlessly smothered.}

                For a long moment, Pietro gazed between his sister and the card she had cast down between them.  He wanted to believe the card was talking about him, that the poor decision would be Lance remaining with Mystique's misbegotten son.  But a little voice in Pietro's mind told him that it was Kurt who would be left out in the cold eventually, abandoned to his feelings of worthlessness and hideousness.  Much as he hated the elf just now, Pietro couldn't bring himself to wish such a fate on the boy.  Not even his father was so callous and hateful as to want someone resigned to an existence without love or companionship.

                {What should I do?}  His voice was a tiny whisper in her mind.

                {That, I can't tell you.  You have to decide for yourself, Brother.  I will tell you one thing, though:  I wouldn't try anything just now.  Until Lance comes to you, it wouldn't be a good idea to try and talk with him.  Once we get the others back, he might settle down enough for you two to talk.}

                {If you say so, Sister.}  Abruptly, Pietro slipped around the silk cloth and tucked himself into her arms, tucking his head beneath her chin.  {I do love you, Sister.  I never stopped loving you.}

                {And I love you, my Brother,} Wanda assured him softly.  Curled up with him like this, Wanda could almost say she was at peace… almost.  {I love you, too.}

                It was past dinner by the time Kurt returned.  Also distressed by the fight, especially since he considered himself to be the cause, the German boy had teleported out to the Bay for some time alone.  Hungry and depressed, Kurt simply teleported himself into the kitchen, hoping that he could find something to quell the gnaw in his stomach, even though nothing seemed instantly appetizing thanks to the hole in his heart.

                The door opened, and Kurt let himself swing out of the freezer long enough to see Pietro walking through.  For a moment, Kurt and Pietro just stared at one another, both acutely aware of their rivalry… and that the blue elf hanging from the lamp had a container of chocolate ice cream in his hands that would be a chocolate puddle if one of them didn't move in short order.  Finally, Pietro forced himself to move.  Walking to the cupboard, he removed two bowls.  "Got any toppings for that stuff?"

                "Ja," Kurt replied, still a bit hesitant as he arched back and set the ice cream on the counter.  "Whipped cream und strawberries und syrup… und I'm pretty sure we have walnuts."

                Pietro shook his head.  "That prof of yours really does spoil you guys, ya know?"

                "We're lucky," Kurt replied from within the refrigerator as he rummaged for the Cool-Whip.

                "Yeah.  Your mom-"

                The Cool-Whip hit Pietro in the chest as Kurt slammed the refrigerator door and flipped down.  Those pale eyes snapped with rage, his tail swishing furiously as he rounded on Pietro.  "Mystique is **not** my mother!  Anyone who could do **this** to their child isn't fit to have any.  My mother lives on a farm outside Munich."

                Pietro was startled by the venom in Kurt's tone.  It reminded him of Wanda's rage towards their father.  Setting the Cool-Whip on the table, Pietro turned back for the spoons.  "She still gave birth to you.  She's gotta love you a little.  How could she not love her own child?"

                "I do not know, and I do not want to," Kurt replied.  "Why you want to find out the same about Magneto, I'll never understand."

                "My father does love me," Pietro countered.

                "But not your sister?"

                "He's fighting a war.  He knows what mankind is capable of doing to those who can't or won't fight back, especially children."

                For a moment, Kurt measured Pietro.  His programmed, almost scripted responses when it came to his father were telling.  {No wonder Wanda hates Magneto so very much.}  "I find it hard to admire a man who loves his children so much that he puts the uncooperative one in a mental ward and leaves the cooperative one to live in squalor while he goes off and tries to start a revolution by attacking those he's supposedly championing."

                The point hit home.  Hard.  Pietro dashed over to the cupboards again, searching for potential toppings.  "The ice cream's melting."

                Kurt sighed.  "Ja; let's eat.  Parents aren't worth ignoring chocolate ice cream, good or bad."

                Unable to help himself, Pietro laughed.

                The kitchen quickly resembled a Dairy Queen as Pietro and Kurt set about indulging their wounded spirits.  Kurt couldn't help noticing how femme Pietro really was; it was easy to understand why Lance would eventually return to the snowy-haired gypsy's bed.  {Why wouldn't he?  I know he loves Pietro, and how could Pietro not love him?  He's so…}

                "Thinking about Lance?" Pietro guessed softly.

                "What?"  Kurt stumbled, flushed softly, and stared at Pietro.  "Why would you think that?"

                "Because I can't think of any other subject that could make someone stare at a spoonful of chocolate ice cream like they don't see it."  He smirked knowingly as Kurt blushed and swiftly ate it.  He could just imagine the things Lance had done to Kurt; the brunette was incredibly talented in the bedroom…{ and on the kitchen table… and the couch… God, I miss him.}

                Kurt watched Pietro's smirk fade and felt a rush of guilt.  He knew perfectly well how Lance felt about Pietro, and it was obvious that Pietro felt the same.  And Pietro was so femme… so dainty… Kurt felt like a stuffed animal being compared to a porcelain doll.  How could Lance not choose Pietro over him?  "Pietro…"

                "Don't, Kurt," Pietro interrupted.  "It's… it's not your fault, and it's not Lance's.  It's been coming for a while now; I just figured it would be Kitty.  Lance was really infatuated with her for a while there.  He and I've been great physically, and I really do love him, but… he's so… intense.  It spooked me a little."

                "Tell me about it," Kurt agreed.  Lance had been absolutely implacable, not that Kurt had wanted him to stop…

                Pietro chuckled softly.  "Sounds like he's in one of his insatiable moods.  They're fun, especially since he loves to cuddle when he finally gets tired."  For a moment, Pietro hesitated, almost unable to say when he'd just decided he needed to say.  "Listen, Kurt… I… it's gonna work out, okay?  Wanda says everything's gonna be fine, and I believe her.  Just… just take care of him right now for me?  He, um… he really needs somebody to love him right now."

                Kurt was floored.  Pietro couldn't mean what he'd said.  It would kill the boy to see he and Lance together.  But he was obviously sincere.  The pain of his own words shone almost as bright as the love and understanding and compassion.  Kurt couldn't say anything; words seemed vulgar.  He simply nodded, looking away as Pietro attacked his ice cream, then dashed around to make another bowl.  {He really is beautiful,} Kurt mused silently.  {And not nearly as spoiled and selfish as one would think from how he acts.  It would be so easy to love them both…}  When Pietro sat back down, Kurt watched him for a moment.  The boy was faster than the eye could follow; it was the only way he could have escaped Trask's underground bunker.  And if he knew how to get out…  "Did you help Storm map out Trask's bunker yet?"

                "Yeah.  She and that Forge guy had me describe it to them in the lab.  I got a pretty good look at the place while I was trying to find the exits."

                "So you could get back in pretty easily?  You know your way around?"

                "Definitely."  Pietro suddenly realized that Kurt had a plan.  "What are you thinking?"

                "If you can get me inside two miles from their cells, I can get them out."  Kurt's smile was confident.

                "Even Rogue?"

                "Even if she and I touched skin to skin, she could use my powers to teleport us out."

                Pietro smirked deviously.  "Well then… that sounds like a plan."

                Kurt grinned back, pointing at Pietro with the spoon curled into his tail.  "Ice cream is brain food; didn't you know?"

A/N:  Coming soon… Kurt and Pietro team up.  Are you scared yet?  ;-P


	6. Interlude

Author's Note:  This is pretty much just going to be smut.  Not that the whole point of the story isn't smut, really, but since there's nothing else really in this part, I might as well be honest about it.  ;-D  Just read and enjoy!  Chapter Six is coming soon.

I really hope I don't need to point out which song I'm using here, but just in case, it's Last Note of Freedom by David Coverdale.  It's most likely found on the **_Days of Thunder_** soundtrack, which is a kick-ass 80's movie (for all you young'uns out there).  Oh, and one really quick translation.  '_Ich verstehe'_ means '_I understand'_ in German.  ;-P  Kurt grew up in Bavaria; what do you want?

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Interlude  
By Lady Eternal 

                After they'd stuffed themselves, Pietro shooed Kurt upstairs, promising to zoom through the kitchen and clean up.  Kurt was still chuckling over the flip to Pietro's wrist as he chased the elf away from the dirty dishes.  "If I know Lance, which I do, he's brooding over the fight with Summers.  Just bamph or poof or whatever you do upstairs and snap him out of it.  Well, go on!"  It was enough to give Kurt a case of the giggles, which he still had when he appeared in Lance's bed with a soft bamph.

                "What the-?"  Lance scrambled, almost falling off the bed.  When the newcomer's identity registered, Lance's entire body uncoiled… well, almost his entire body.  {I could go a hundred years without forgetting how he felt in my arms…}  "Hi."

                "Hi."  Kurt desperately wanted to curl into those muscular arms, but he had to be sure that Lance still wanted him.  It had seemed almost too tender for a one-night stand, and Pietro wasn't acting like it had been, but still…

                Lance couldn't resist him.  Kurt was warm and comfortable and smelled intoxicating:  peaches and innocence and man.  Rolling closer, Lance tucked the elf snugly against his body.  "You went off alone?"

                "I had some thinking to do," Kurt replied.

                "Really?"  Lance gently brushed his lips over Kurt's.  "What about?"

                "About you."  Kurt sealed his lips against Lance's, his tail stroking the length of Lance's body.  Lance responded as Kurt had expected, peeling the clothes from Kurt's body with almost clumsy haste.  "Mein Gott, Lance…"

                "You taste so good," Lance murmured raggedly.  Jesus, he hurt… he'd never been loved in his whole life… it hurt so much… Kurt arched into his embrace, eagerly reciprocating every kiss and nibble and caress; his responsiveness drove Lance half mad.  Hungry and aching from a dozen old wounds, the brunette rolled with Kurt in his arms, kissing Kurt even as he pulled the elf down, impaling his lover to the hilt on his lance.

                Kurt gasped, taking a moment to adjust.  Lance's breath was ragged, his face contorted almost as if he were in pain…  "Lance?"

                "Yeah?"

                "Are you all right?"

                Lance opened his eyes, and Kurt's heart ached at what he saw there.  The beautiful, sensual, powerful man beneath him gazed up with a battered, broken soul; a little boy who couldn't understand why no one loved him.  It was an expression Kurt would have given his soul to erase.  Slowly, Kurt shifted, bending to offer Lance his mouth while remaining fully impaled on Lance's erection.  Lance gasped sharply as the hot, viselike grip of Kurt's body sent electric sparks through his veins.  He reached up, gripping Kurt's forearms as he fought for control; Kurt chuckled as he broke Lance's grip and laced his hands with the brunette's, effectively pinioning Lance where he lay.  Kurt then very slowly ran his tongue over the curve of Lance's sensually full lower lip.

                Lance shuddered.  As did the bed.  Kurt smiled.

                With each loving caress, every open kiss, every erotic bite he could devise, Kurt wore Lance down.  Without knowing it, Lance had awakened a creature of intense sensuality in his furry blue elf, and the rock-tumbler was helpless in the face of it.  No one save Pietro had ever inflamed him so, and he needed the affection so desperately…  Kurt felt the cry of his soul and responded, brushing tender kisses along Lance's throat as he gently guided Lance down onto his side, snugly wrapping his legs and arms around Lance's waist and kissing him sweetly on the lips.  "Ich verstehe, mein liebe," Kurt murmured.  "Just let it all go."

                For one wrenching moment, Lance couldn't move.  His heart clutched, and then he did just as Kurt asked:  he let go.  With almost savage ferocity, Lance used every trick he'd ever learned, tormented every erogenous zone Kurt had, pounded almost viciously into Kurt's willing body.  Kurt accepted it all, reflected only love and tenderness back at him, moaned and arched and writhed in Lance's arms with elfin abandon.  Lance pushed Kurt from orgasm to orgasm, needing to feel Kurt exploding in his arms, desperate for it… 

                It seemed like hours before Lance finally came with Kurt, pouring into his body and kissing Kurt with almost bruising force to muffle his near-scream of release.  When the last shudders faded, the two collapsed into one another out of sheer exhaustion.  Kurt was drained; Lance seemed half-dead.  For long moments, they lay there, curled tightly against one another for comfort, listening to the CD Lance had put in shortly before Kurt's arrival.

                **Here I am, Burning Man  
                Singing a song, my open soul  
                Will time pass me?  
                All my dreams, I have to know  
                I don't wanna be cheated  
                I can't go on in a world where love is beaten  
  
                Rise up, Burning Man  
                Seize the right and take command  
                Days of thunder see me shine  
                All my dreams turn out fine  
  
                I know the suffering will end, my friend  
                When the last note of freedom is rung throughout the land  
                I know the hateful will bend  
                When the last note of freedom is heard throughout the land  
  
**

                A sob registered beneath the music, and Kurt just nestled closer.  It was an almost torturous descent, but Lance finally let go:  not of his passion or his fury, but of his pain and his loneliness and his fear.  In Kurt's warm and comforting embrace, Lance wept as he had not in years.  Kurt cradled him through the storm, keeping Lance nestled and warm even as the storm shook the bed with more force than his passion, understanding better than anyone else Lance's need for love and affection.  When his tears finally quieted, Lance lay in Kurt's arms, soaking up the feeling of acceptance and affection.  Kurt was so certain that Lance had actually fallen asleep that it startled him to hear that low, sexy voice rumble in his ear.  "I love you."

                Kurt lifted his gaze slowly to meet Lance's.  The rock-tumbler wasn't asleep, wasn't dreaming of Pietro.  He was gazing back down into those pale eyes with more sincerity than Kurt had ever seen.  Touched to the quick, Kurt couldn't bring himself to entertain the thousand objections that his rational mind was screaming at him.  Instead, he simply lifted his mouth to Lance's for a sweet, lingering kiss.  "I love you."

                "I just can't believe she did that!"  Scott paced furiously, completely oblivious to his lack of clothing.  "She practically took his side!"

                "Scott, please."  Jean sat up, tucking the sheet around her chest.  "It's over; you can't change what's happened."

                "Jean, it's not right.  Storm all but gave Alvers the go-ahead to use Kurt while he's pissed at Quicksilver.  Doesn't she realize what it's going to do to Kurt when Alvers finally gets over his little snit and they make up?  Kurt's gonna be in so many pieces, he'll be a furry blue jigsaw puzzle."

                "But isn't that Kurt's decision?"

                One eyebrow quirked over his shades.  "Do you honestly think that Kurt is in any place emotionally to make a decision like that?  The only reason he even went to bed with Alvers is because Alvers could make an ugly stick feel sexy if it suited him.  He did it to Tabitha, he was doing it to Kitty, and now he's doing it to Kurt.  I'd be surprised if he's even really serious about Maximoff, except that little fruit's more manipulative than anyone I've ever met."

                "But what good does it do to curse about it now?  We need them, Scott, and it would kill Kurt to have to decide between Lance and you.  You've been like an older brother to him-"

                "All the more reason for me to try and protect him from that philandering, amoral bastard!"

                Sighing softly, Jean let the sheet drop and rose from the bed.  Scott's reaction to her naked body was instantaneous; in a heartbeat his umbrage melted and his erection stiffened.  Stepping into his arms, Jean slid her hips provocatively against his.  "Lance isn't the only one around here with a shady past, Scott.  You weren't exactly an angel in those orphanages, you know."

                "But I got past it.  I know now that just because my life wasn't a Norman Rockwell painting, it wasn't an excuse to turn my back on everything that's right, on all the good things in this world.  I see Alvers and I can't help wanting to smack some sense into him."

                "Scott, you don't know what his life has been.  You've got your brother, and your parents loved you and Alex, and when the Professor brought you here, you found a home like the one you'd lost.  I don't know what Lance has been through, but I can't believe he's not struggling towards the kind of home that you had as a child.  I don't think he's ever had that… and he's been on his own all his life."

                Shoving away from her, Scott snarled in rage.  "Great.  Now you're taking his side!  Why don't we just give him the keys to the X-jet!  Or better still, to the dorm of anybody whose ass happens to catch his eye!  After all, he's definitely gonna figure out the right way to live your life by romping through every bedroom in the Institute!"

                "Stop it, Scott!"  Jean reached out with her mind, flinging him back onto the bed.  Propelling herself over as he landed, Jean hovered over him for a moment before sinking down to lie between his legs.  Her tongue slowly traveled the length of his erection and Scott groaned aloud.  {You and Lance have a lot in common, which is why I think you hate him so much.  You feel threatened by him, by how easily he seems to deal with everything that's wrong with his life.  You feel so guilty about your parents, your brother, everything you had to do in that orphanage to survive… you hate Lance because he doesn't seem to feel any guilt over what he's done or what he does… he doesn't let it rule him…}

                "I… don't let it… oh God, Jean… it doesn't rule me…"  Scott's hands laced into her long hair as she suckled on the head of his erection, her long, manicured fingers teasing at his pouch.  "It keeps me on the right track…"

                {Maybe Lance doesn't want to live his life ashamed of things that he's done because he can admit, unlike you, that the life he's lived really wasn't his fault.  He's angry, and he has a right to that anger, Scott… and Kurt has the right to feel like someone wants him despite what he really looks like.  He's not stupid; Kurt probably knows that this will only last as long as Lance is angry with Pietro.  Maybe Kurt just wants to enjoy it while he can, because he doesn't know when he'll have this again.}

                "I guess… you'd know, wouldn't you?" Scott managed; it wasn't easy.  Jean's tongue was tracing the ridge of his erection while she suckled, making Scott's entire body feel like a coiled spring.  "You've been… hearing things from them, haven't you?"

                {I think hearing Wanda's call for help turned something on… I just catch glimpses, but those glimpses are more than enough… it's all right, Scott… you don't have to protect them… you don't have to make sure they're on the straight and narrow… they'll find their own path.  It's time you concentrated on your own… on ours…}

                Scott couldn't take anymore.  Grabbing Jean's arms, he pulled her away from his erection and rolled with her.  They spilled onto the floor in a tangle of limbs and sheets; Jean's legs parted easily as Scott drove hard into her, accepting his passion and his emotional turmoil with equal grace.  As tender as Scott had been over the past few days, he turned almost vicious now, pounding into her body as fast and as hard as he could.  He couldn't stand that Duncan had gotten here first, but he was suddenly determined to stake his claim on her, to make her his forever, to brand his touch into her flesh and burn away any memory of her football-playing paramour.

                Jean arched into his possession eagerly, reveling in how different he was from Duncan.  Duncan groped; Scott played.  Duncan took; Scott exchanged.  Duncan had been tolerably hung; Scott felt perfect inside her.  She could kill Scott for not saying anything about his feelings sooner, but Jean was determined to put the past, and Duncan, behind her.  Scott was everything she could ever want, and she wasn't going to give him up now.

                Almost in a fury, Scott drove her to orgasm just as he reached his own.  Tightening her grip on him, Jean absorbed the feeling of his life spilling inside her, comforted by it at the same time she was glad that she'd been on birth control ever since she started dating Duncan.  Vaguely, she wondered what kind of powers a child of theirs might have, but there was too much uncertainty surrounding their lives now for a pregnancy to be at all advisable… and there wouldn't be any way to know at this point if the child was Duncan's or Scott's…  {Yeah, that'd be a good way to start a relationship.}  Snuggling close, Jean brushed at the tears that leaked from beneath Scott's glasses.  "It's all right, Scott.  We'll get everyone back, and everything's going to be fine.  You'll see."

Desperate to control the emotions that he'd held in check for most of his life, Scott cradled Jean even closer, blotting out reality with the scent of her hair.

A/N:  I never said this was gonna be a slash-only fic!  :-P  I hope you're reading this, single espresso!  'Cause I wrote it just for you!  Stay tuned, gang… because things will only get weirder from here!!!  And don't forget to review!!!!!


	7. Chapter Six

Author's Note:  Okay, gang… this is where things start getting really scary.  Right, like they haven't been scary enough.  What can I say?  Catastrophes, disasters, and other major, life-altering events makes for some crazy behavior!  Which means fun for fanfic authors!!!!!!!!!  Just remember, your keyboards will melt if you flame me, so if you don't like it, don't read it!  But I really hope you'll like it, 'cause I worked awful hard on it.  Anyway, we'll be getting to the good parts pretty soon now, and the real point of this story!  Then you'll all just think I'm really crazy and never read another thing I write ever again@!  ::recovers::  Don't mind me; it's been a really bad month.  Read on, MacDuff!

Just remember, in case you haven't been paying attention lately, that thoughts are all bracketed ( {} ) in case the italics don't translate properly.  There are times I really hate computers.  ::grumbles::

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Six  
By Lady Eternal 

                When Lance finally woke, dawn light was filtering through the window.  Groaning softly to himself, he rolled over to wake Kurt.  Finding out just how much conditioner that fur needed sounded like fun…

                Except his furry lover wasn't there.

                Blinking himself fully awake, Lance stared at the space beside him, still warm from Kurt's cuddly form.  When had Kurt left?  Why would he leave?  Lance couldn't understand; last night had been amazing.  What could possibly have prompted Kurt to leave their bed after a night like that?  A knock at the door startled him.  Pulling the sheet into a haphazard toga, Lance hesitantly opened the door.  Wanda stood on the other side.  "Hey."

                "Did Pietro come to you last night?"

                Lance blinked.  "No.  I spent the night with Kurt."

                Wanda's eyes narrowed slightly.  "Is he here?"

                "No…"  Lance's eyes went wide as he trailed off.  "Mother of God… you think they're off having a bitch fight?"

                "Considering I specifically told my brother not to, they'd better not be," Wanda muttered dangerously.  "Get dressed.  We need to find them."

                Lance quickly shed the sheet as he closed the door.

                "Whaddya think?"

                "I think you're crazy.  What if they catch you?"

                "No chance.  You know where you're goin'?"

                "Ja."

                Once again atop the skyscraper where he had observed the battle with his father, Pietro peered down at the chasm that opened into Boliver Trask's underground bunker.  If he could keep Trask busy enough, no one would notice Kurt removing the others until it was too late.  "I know where all the main power junctions are.  As long as the power doesn't go down in the containment area, they'll scurry like rats trying to fix the problems and no one'll even notice what you're doing.  With three handles, you should be able to get everybody out fast."

                "Three?"

                Pietro glanced meaningfully at Kurt's tail.  "Two hands and a tail make three rescue appendages."

                Kurt chuckled, swishing his tail.  "You sure about this?"

                "Oh, yeah.  Trust me."

                "Okay."  Grasping Pietro's hand, Kurt teleported into the complex.  The moment they landed, Kurt and Pietro flattened themselves against the wall.  Voices were heard coming down the hall, passing the shadowed corridor where the two boys hid.

                "It's really quite remarkable, from a purely scientific standpoint.  The males have powers that accentuate their natural strength, agility, and endurance.  Each managed to do considerable damage to the targets before they were subdued.  Only the female's power requires stealth and adaptation; against mechanical targets, she actually has no unnatural defenses."

                "She cannot take energy from the machines?"

                "No; only from living creatures."

                Silence.  "She must be put down."

                "Much as I hate to lose such a unique specimen, I'm afraid you're right, General.  The slightest connection with her bare skin causes instant reaction; prolonged contact can cause a depletion of vital energy which can result in death."

                "She remains in the med lab?"

                "I've kept her under sedation ever since she lost consciousness in the test field.  Administering the poison will be a simple procedure:  quick and painless."

                "Good.  What of…?"

                Pietro and Kurt stood in dead silence as the voices trailed off in the distance.  Trask was going to execute Rogue…  "We have to get to her first."

                "Ja.  You know where that lab is?"

                "Yeah.  It's a couple levels down, above the containment cells."

                Kurt nodded, then grabbed Pietro's hand and bamphed.  They landed on the floor in the hall and Kurt swiftly bamphed again, putting the boys safely on an insulated electrical conduit running along the ceiling.  Motioning for Kurt to remain where he was, Pietro swiftly crawled along the conduit into the med lab.  Surveying the layout for a moment, he took careful note of where the nurse was in comparison to Rogue's biobed.  His heart clutched when he saw her:  she looked too pale, even her unconscious state troubled by nightmares.  This was his fault…  Kurt appeared in front of him and Pietro almost fell off the conduit.  "What?" he hissed.

                "They're coming."

                "Fuck."  Pietro glanced around swiftly, searching for some way to cause a distraction…  "Go.  Now.  Get her out."

                "They'll notice she's missing."

                "Not if I'm fast enough."  Spinning around, Pietro flashed down the conduit and leaped down just as the doctor was walking into the med lab, knocking the man down.  "Tag!  You're it!"  He then grinned and ran at top speed around the corner, drawing the doctor and the nurse into chasing him.

                Kurt stared for a moment, then leaped down and opened Rogue's biobed.  Curling her into his arms, he double-bamphed out onto the roof of the skyscraper and tucked her into a corner.  "I'll be back, liebschen."  He then bamphed back into the compound.

                Inside was a cacophony of sirens and guards running to assist other areas as Pietro raced through the complex causing chaos.  He cut elevator cables, smashed junction boxes, teased personnel into following him into rooms and then raced out, disabling the door panels as he flew through the ventilation system.  Kurt bamphed into the containment level, pausing only for a moment to check the guards before he disappeared into Wolverine's cell.

                Everyone was up and listening to the chatter of the guards on their radios, trying to determine what exactly was happening.  Kurt grabbed Wolverine's hand from behind and bamphed into Beast's cell, startling the Canadian mutant and Evan, who had glanced over at Wolverine's surprised snarl.  "What the Hell?"

                Kurt grabbed Beast's wrist.  "I'm getting you all out of here.  Let's go."  Bamphing into Evan's cell, he swished his tail into Evan's grip.  "C'mon.  We're all going now."

                "What about Rogue?" Fred asked as the group appeared in his cell.

                "Got her first.  Grab a hand and let's go!"

                Fred swiftly took Beast's other hand in his meaty paw.  The group disappeared just as the guards were being radioed to check the prisoners for a rescue attempt.  A fast double-bamph had everyone out on the street.  "Go back to the Institute; I'm going after Pietro."

                "Pietro's in there!"  Fred made an inarticulate sound of fury.  "Leave him; Rogue was crazy to tell him to go for help."

                "He's the one who helped me get you out," Kurt countered.  "Just get back home."

                "Where is the Rogue?" Wolverine asked, trying not to let his concern show.  "She was hurt."

                "Safe, for the moment.  I've got to go back for her after I grab Pietro.  Just get going, okay?  We'll be there soon."  Before they could argue, Kurt bamphed back into the complex and into the surveillance center.  The guard monitoring and coordinating the attempts to capture Pietro didn't even see him appear until just before Kurt used the fire extinguisher to knock him out.  It took him a few minutes to finally spot where Pietro had stopped to hide, watching the contingent chasing him go past with a smirk of superior glee.  Kurt quickly called him on the comlink.  "Pietro, stay put.  I'm coming."  He then took the guard's sidearm and put the fire extinguisher on the control panel.  Dragging the guard into the hall, he fired at the extinguisher, causing the chemicals inside to explode before he bamphed into Pietro's hiding place.

                "What kept ya?" Pietro asked, crawling out.

                "Who said you got to do all the damage?" Kurt replied gamely.  "Let's go."  Grabbing Pietro's hand, he bamphed back to the skyscraper.  Rogue was slowly waking from the sedation when he reached her.  "Rogue?"

                Disoriented, frightened, and in pain, Rogue struggled as he tried to pick her up, slamming her cheek into Kurt's.  Pietro jumped back as Kurt let out a yelp of pain, tumbling Rogue from his grip as he staggered from the drain.  Pietro grabbed him as he crumpled.  "Rogue, it's Pietro and Kurt!"

                "No…" she moaned softly.  "Kurt…"

                "C'mon, kid; before Trask figures out where we are!"

                Struggling through the fog of the sedation, Rogue wrapped the blanket around her hand and grabbed for Pietro.  {I wanna go home…}

                By now, everyone was searching the grounds for Pietro and Kurt.  Storm circled the grounds from the air, remaining in communication with Scott in the X-jet and with the ground parties.  Widening her search pattern, she spotted something on the ground:  a small group of people leaving the city as fast as they could.  For a moment, she stared in disbelief, but as she hovered over them, she couldn't deny what she saw.  "Scott, quickly:  land the X-jet about three miles from the outskirts of town."

                What the Hell are they doing having a spat that close to town?

                "They're not.  It's Wolverine, Beast, Fred, and Evan.  They're on foot, heading towards the Institute."

                For a moment, Scott couldn't believe what he was hearing.  His moment of disbelief quickly melted when he spotted the group on the jet's radar and circled back around, landing a few feet from the obviously tired group of mutants.  "Hey, guys; goin' my way?"

                "Not now, Shades," Wolverine growled sarcastically as the four of them hustled on board.  "We're a little too tired for wise-cracks."

                "Where's Rogue?" Scott asked swiftly.  "How did you get out?"

                "Kurt and Pietro busted us out," Evan replied.  "Kurt said he stashed Rogue someplace and had to get her after he grabbed Pietro."

                "What the Hell?"  Scott took off, turning the jet back towards the Institute.  "X-jet to Storm:  I've got them."

                Are they all right?

                "We're okay, Auntie O," Evan replied quickly.  "God, it's good to hear your voice."

                Evan… thank God… is everyone else all right?

                "Rogue got knocked around pretty bad by Trask's other gadgets, but everybody else is okay.  Kurt said he'd get her from where he'd stashed her after he grabbed Pietro."

                **WHAT?!**

                "They're probably back at home by now," Evan replied placatingly.  "From what we could tell, those two were really driving El Psycho and his goons nuts so they could get us out."

                A string of African words came over the radio that no one really wanted to know the meaning of.  Get them home, Scott.  If those two trouble-makers aren't there, we'll have to search Bayville for them.

                "Roger that, Storm."  Scott shook his head as he radioed the computer in the hanger to open for their descent.

                Lance came across the lawn swearing.  Storm had called the search parties back, letting them know that Kurt and Pietro had attempted and apparently partially succeeded a rescue operation on their own.  {It's bad enough that Pietro thinks this little stunt will get him back into my good graces, but to drag Kurt along?  If he's gotten one single strand of that blue fur even singed, he'll never be fast enough to get away from the beating I'm gonna give him… and he's not gonna enjoy a single minute of it, either!!!!!!}  He was so angry and so absorbed in his own thoughts that he almost didn't see the three errant mutants appear with a soft cloud of smoke two steps in front of him.  Startled and already upset, Lance stumbled back with a curse, causing the ground beneath their feet to shudder and the barely-standing trio to tumble to the ground.

                Moaning softly, Rogue slumped onto the ground, gratefully accepting oblivion in place of the pain that screamed through her body.  Pietro let go of Kurt as he tumbled back onto his ass; Kurt lay still for a moment, quite reluctantly returning to the land of the conscious after being drained by Rogue.  Looking up, Pietro gazed almost longingly at his stunned (ex?) lover before managing to paste an innocent look on his face.  Wanda and the others quickly joined him, having been only a few steps behind the rock-tumbler when the trio appeared.  "What?  No hello?"

                Rage billowed up inside Lance for a moment; he choked it back almost viciously.  Instead, he stepped forward and pulled Kurt into his arms.  "Kurt?  Kurt, are you okay?"

                "Katzenjammer…" Kurt murmured.  "Sleep now, okay?"  Without waiting for approval, Kurt passed out again, his body curling instinctively against Lance's.

                "He'll be fine," Pietro offered softly.  "Rogue panicked and head-butted him when he picked her up."

                Lance closed his eyes, trembling softly, then looked up at Pietro as he stood.  Pietro wanted to reach out and hold him, to ease that torn, hurt expression in his eyes…

                {Don't, Brother.  He's not ready yet.}

                {Sister, please… I need him…}

                {Trust me, Brother.}

                For a long moment, Lance just gazed at Pietro.  Those eyes, as blue as Kurt's fur, just reflected love right back at him… Lance took a deep, shuddering breath and carried Kurt inside.  He needed to make a decision… needed to give Pietro a chance to explain… but right now, all he wanted was for his beautiful elf to wake up.

                Pietro tried not to fall down as he turned to look at Wanda.  He felt so tired…  {Now what, Sister?}

                {Now, he will attempt to convince himself that he can only love one of you.  You must show him that isn't the case.}  Bending down, she scooped Rogue easily into her arms, cradling her close.  {You'll know when the time is right, Brother.}

                {Lance won't understand.  What if he really does only want one of us?}

                {You've spent too long among the gahdje, Brother.  You should have known from the beginning what was going on… or have you truly lost all your intuition?}

                For a moment, Pietro just gazed into his sister's eyes.  Her meaning slowly sank in, and all of her words clicked in his mind.  Nodding once, he glanced at the still unconscious Rogue in Wanda's arms.  {She's still badly injured.}

                {Agatha is coming; she will heal Rogue's wounds… the physical ones, at least.  Go get some rest.  And, Brother?}

                {Yes, Sister?}  Pietro had turned away at her command and half turned back, hesitant of another rebuke over his reckless plan.

                {What you did… is the first truly Romani thing you have done in years.  It is good to see you remembering yourself.}  As the shuv'hani's caravan appeared across the lawn, Wanda bestowed a genuine smile upon her brother.  {I am proud of you.}

                Tears sprang to Pietro's eyes as Wanda turned, carrying Rogue to Agatha's caravan.  Wanda had forgiven him.  {_Now, if only I can get Lance to do the same…}_

A/N:  In case you couldn't tell, a reconciliation is starting to glimmer on the horizon… but we've still got a few miles to go.  Don't give up hope!!!


	8. Chapter Seven

Author's Note:  EEK!!!!!  Time has certainly slipped away from me, hasn't it?  Evo's Season 3 premiere is coming up fast, and my story's not finished yet!  Looks like I'd better get on the stick on this one, before my theory's shot to Hell.  It's all your fault, Lord R!  ::points::  You and your sweet lips and your soft hair and your sexy knees and your amazing eyes…  I'd better not take this any further.  I know I'm writing erotica here, but there's some things that the rest of you readers just don't need to know.  Anyway, hopefully I'll get this finished before the WB shoots my plot full of holes!

Translations:  Katzenjammer (from Chapter Six)- hangover

                                Ich am leben bin- I'm alive! (tone equals 'you're so happy I'm alive, you're gonna kill me!  Quit it!')

                                Liebschon- beautiful love (different from liebschen, which means little love)

                                Mein blau flauschig elf- my blue furry elf (just in case anyone misses where it's translated in the text)

                                Spaetzel- a very nummy version of mac'n'cheese made in Bavaria.

Replies:  (This section is pathetically small.  Where are my loyal readers?  Why don't you love me anymore?  ::pouts, sniffles::)

RogueDarkness:  I have no intention of leaving anyone hanging now… especially because I think Psycho B, Rosiel, batE, and Lord R would all rise up and smack me silly if I did!  ;-D  Just to warn you:  there are more 'graphic scenes' ahead.  I'm as bad as the rest of these slash-crazed females out here in Evo fandom.  ::winks knowingly at Lord R & Psycho B::  Just be prepared!

R:  It seems an eternity since we were together, my love… yet only a fortnight has passed since I last looked upon your face.  Written word is all that consoles me, beloved, until that day when I shall see you again and there shall never again be a parting between us.  I'm so proud of you, darling.

Psychodelic Barfly:  And I'm waiting rather impatiently myself.  I know you're in college now, but come on woman!!!  Where's Chappy 29?  You said it was almost done!  Okay, I'll make you a deal:  if I post my Pietrancey reunion, you'll post Chapter 29.  'Kay?  Luv ya, hon!  Hope college is treating you well!

Me:  It has been a long time, my dear.  Actually, my Lance/Kurt pairing is at the request of my beloved Lord R, who would probably dump me for the fuzzy blue German elf if he really existed!  ::sticks tongue out at Lord R::  Lance is a neglect case and Kurt's got absolutely **NO** self-esteem whatsoever.  They're perfect for each other!  But I've promised others a Pietrance reconciliation, so you'll just have to wait and see what happens.

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Seven  
By Lady Eternal 

_                {Rogue.}_

                The voice echoed softly in the haze.  Rogue wanted to ignore it.  Life wasn't worth hanging around for… not without love, without companionship.  The darkness yawned beneath her… it would be so easy to let herself sink…

                {_Come back, Rogue…}_

                It coaxed her now, drawing her attention from the beckoning abyss.  But it wasn't fair; she had nothing to come back for…

                {_My Rogue, come back to me…}_

                Inexorably, Rogue found herself pulled away from the dark.  Light gently prodded at her consciousness, waking her with a soft groan of protest.

                "That's it, dear.  It's time to wake up, little one."

                Slowly, reluctantly, Rogue opened her eyes.  She recognized her room immediately; the familiar surroundings soothed her.  Two women were seated near her.  One she knew only by brief introduction; the elder, not at all.  Wanda was sitting at the foot of her bed, her expression quiet and concerned.  The elderly woman sat in the chair by her window, calm and composed and commanding of respect.  Slowly, Rogue pushed herself into a sitting position.  "What happened?"

                "Many things," Agatha replied softly.  "What do you remember?"

                "Not a lot.  It's sorta… hazy.  I remember the tests… getting blasted… and then Kurt and Pietro."  Her eyes went wide and she sat up a little straighter.  "Kurt!"

                "He's fine," Wanda promised her softly.  "Lance and my brother are taking care of him."

                That voice, quiet and soothing, drew Rogue's attention.  The few words that Rogue had heard Wanda speak during their brief acquaintance had always been spoken in a tone of carefully controlled rage.  The woman curled at the end of her bed seemed to be perfectly calm, gazing at her with quiet intensity.  Rogue found herself blushing faintly in the face of such regard.  No one had ever looked at her quite that way before.  Agatha missed none of this silent exchange.  "How do you feel, child?"

                "Better.  What happened?"

                "As I said, many things; most of which Wanda and your friends would be better suited to explain than I."  Agatha stood and walked to the bed.  For a long moment, she held Rogue's gaze; Rogue had the peculiar impression that Agatha was seeing directly inside her.  The elder woman then opened a pouch on the nightstand.  "Rest for at least the next two days; light exercise only if you feel restless.  Drink this tea with breakfast and before sleeping at night.  If you feel at all unwell after two days, Wanda knows how to contact me."

                "Thank you," Rogue replied softly.

                Agatha smiled softly.  "Be well, little one.  Everything will work out."  Giving Wanda a fond touch on the shoulder, she left to inform the adults of Rogue's awakening.

                Glancing back at Wanda, Rogue couldn't help noticing that those cerulean eyes were once again watching her.  It wasn't uncomfortable, having that quiet gaze upon her, but it was definitely… warm.  Flushing a little redder, she offered a soft smile.  "You called her to help me?"

                "Agatha is a shuv'hani.  I could think of no one better suited to help you."

                Stumbling over the unfamiliar word, Rogue blinked.  "A… what?"

                "Shuv'hani:  a wise woman, versed in the Romani arts of magic and healing."

                "Magic?"  The serious expression on Wanda's face seemed to belie Rogue's skepticism.

                A faint smile curled Wanda's lips.  "There is an element of magic in all healing.  Agatha has helped me to gain some control over my anger with Magneto, and therefore to control my abilities.  I trust her, and I thought her skills at soul-healing might come in handy… in case you didn't want to come back."

                Rogue looked away, uncertain of how to take the idea that Wanda knew about her hopelessness.  It was easily guessed, after all, given her mutant powers and tendency towards Gothic expression; as another Goth, Wanda no doubt had simply made a logical guess.  But there was something about those cerulean eyes… as clear and blue as a summer sky…  "So, what'd I miss?" she asked softly, attempting to change the subject.

                "Not much, really:  Lance and Cyclops alternate between tentatively getting along and openly going for each other's throats, my brother has remembered who he is and is no longer my father's lapdog/spy, and Lance and Kurt have been rather passionately involved for the past two nights."  Wanda tried not to smile at Rogue's adorably startled expression, opting in the same instant not to inform her about Mystique's destruction of the Institute or its subsequent restoration.  Rogue still looked tired, and that would be far too much to absorb after such a shock to her system.  "What?  You thought Cyclops and Avalanche might actually get along?"

                Wanda's innocent question and wry expression actually made Rogue chuckle.  It was nice to see Wanda acting more like a normal teenage woman than a raging sociopath.  "Y'all have to be jokin' about Kurt and Lance.  Lance was after Kitty."

                "Between my brother and now the elf, Lance has apparently forgotten about his infatuation with her entirely.  It was little more than that, anyway.  He and my brother were having a few… difficulties outside of the bedroom, and Lance is a classic neglected child:  unless offered a permanent source of unconditional love and affection, he will seek it wherever he can get it.  Until he and I reconciled, my brother was unable to deal with the ramifications of falling in love with someone like Lance.  Now he is."

                "But what about Kurt?" Rogue asked softly.  "Now that Pietro's okay with loving Lance…"

                Those soft, scarlet lips curved in the slightest of knowing smiles.  "My brother already knows what he must do.  Everything will be fine.  Would you like me to go check on Kurt for you?  I'm sure your friends will come streaming in here at any moment, wanting to assure themselves that they weren't hallucinating when Agatha told your guardians that you were recovered."

                Something about that smile… Rogue shook herself mentally.  "That'd be nice.  Thanks."

                "Anytime," Wanda replied.  She stood and walked out, pausing once at the door.  "If you need anything, my room is right next door."

                "Since when do you live here?" came Rogue's startled reply.

                "Since Lance decided that Mystique might not have the best interests of the Brotherhood at heart.  He didn't like the idea that her agenda might get the people closest to him killed."  Glancing for a moment at something in the hall, she smiled softly back at Rogue.  "The girls appear to be the first wave.  I'll go see to Kurt."  Leaving the door open, Wanda slipped into the hall and up the stairs.

                It wasn't until after the chaos of relieved reunions had settled into minor hoopla that Storm was able to draw Wolverine and Beast aside.  Closeting themselves in the Professor's study, Storm gave both men a swift embrace of relief.  "I'm glad to see you're both safe."

                "Apparently, things have only gotten more complicated," Beast surmised.  "Where is Charles?"

                "We have no idea," Storm reported gravely.  Gesturing for them to sit down, she took a swift, steadying breath.  "At some point before we left for the supply yard, Charles was either lured away or simply kidnapped.  Mystique was masquerading as Charles during the confrontation."

                "Which explains why you all pulled back without picking up the others."  Wolverine's voice was little more than a snarl, but Storm knew him well enough to know it was of fury with Mystique rather than reproach towards she and the teens.  "What else was she up to?"

                Still unsettled by the memory, Storm took a deep breath before answering.  "Somehow, she sent the Institute's computers to Defcon 4.  Scott was able to get the other students out and into Cerebro's protective sphere, but the Institute was destroyed."

                Wolverine and Beast were both so startled by the statement that for a moment neither spoke.  "Seems pretty solid to me," Wolverine mused cautiously.

                "I still don't know how she did it," Storm replied, "but Wanda was able to use her powers to… I suppose replace it is the proper word.  She talked about creating a fold in space-time and letting a copy slip through.  I don't suppose you have any insights, Hank?"

                For a moment, Beast considered it.  Storm and Wolverine could see the possibilities and theories and likely explanations tumbling in his mind as he got up and paced.  "There have been theories tossed around by the academic community for years that time and space are intimately connected.  The notion of perceiving them as a fabric is a popular one, and one of the easiest to use when explaining certain concepts to laymen; given the universal familiarity and tactility, even the most uneducated mind can grasp some of the rudimentary ideas… if one explains it patiently.  This in turn has created abundant fodder for the science fiction community:  the idea that space-time is a fabric lends itself quite handily to the idea that those with the right powers and extrasensory perceptions can manipulate it on various levels.  Some of the most popular science fiction serials have been rather adept at depicting such scenarios:  **_Star Trek _**and**_ Quantum Leap_**, to name the best known."

                "So when does science fiction become just weird science?" Wolverine asked.

                "That depends.  Charles did mention that Wanda's powers, at least so far as he'd seen them demonstrated, involve the spontaneous alteration of the laws of probability.  Probability is actually a series of careful calculations based on what are considered to be the immutable constants of space and time; we're talking about anything from the laws of molecular bonds to gravity, Einstein's theory of relativity to the speed of light.  Everything that modern science is based upon rests on these pillars.  But if Wanda's abilities do in fact allow her to alter probability, then what she's really doing is altering those laws… _altering the basic functions of space-time itself._  It's not a long step between that and manipulating space-time on as large a scale as you're saying she's done."

                "She did it," Storm asserted softly.  "Everyone here saw the devastation when we returned; Scott and the younger students tried desperately to avert the explosion before they were left only with the option of taking cover inside Cerebro.  The next night, she restored it."

                "If that's true," Beast mused, "then she's even more powerful than Charles anticipated… and she's gained a control over those abilities that Magneto never expected her to accomplish.  If he had known she would ever be capable of this, I highly doubt he would have locked her in that sanitarium."

                "You think this Agatha woman's got a hand in that?" Wolverine asked.  "Maybe Bucket-head never expected her to show up and get the kid calmed down."

                "I've spoken with Tabitha about that.  She told me that Agatha was with Mystique when she recruited Wanda for the Brotherhood," Storm replied.  "She is a Romani wise woman, and obviously well-trained in magicks.  I doubt Magneto had anything to do with her intervention.  Pietro told me that Agatha trained Wanda in the use of her mutant powers as well as Romani magicks since she arrived, and has defused Wanda's rage on more than one occasion… although that hasn't been a problem here."

                Wolverine quirked an eyebrow.  "You slippin' the kid tranqs or something?"

                "No.  Pietro came straight here when he escaped Trask's bunker.  Unlike before, I sense no hostility between them.  I'd say that nearly losing his twin sister has brought Pietro to heel, and it's fairly obvious that Wanda is the dominant.  That may have been another reason for her imprisonment:  her father didn't believe that he would be able to control her, and knew that he would be unable to control Pietro utterly so long as she still had an influence over him.  Removing her from Pietro's life allowed Magneto to properly train Pietro as Pavlov did his dogs:  the perfect foil in his plans, jumping whenever Magneto snaps."

                "You think she's got the kid deprogrammed?" Wolverine asked carefully.

                "I see no reason to believe otherwise.  She's made several statements indicating that Pietro now knows where he belongs; I can only presume that means acting as a proper submissive twin and trusting her judgment.  Given her hatred of Magneto, I doubt she will ever again allow Pietro within ten feet of their father, and when it comes to twins, the force of the dominant's disapproval is more than enough to deter a submissive from doing something the dominant doesn't like."

                Beast nodded.  "What about the battle itself?  I saw more than one new chopper hovering around that Sentinel; how much fallout has there been?"

                "Well, no one's been picketing the Institute, if that's what you mean.  No incidents of vandalism… but the superintendent did call a few days ago.  Apparently, Principal Kelly has fully disclosed all information he has on the students which are hosted by the Institute to the school board, and in the interests of everyone's safety, both our students' and the rest of the student body, the superintendent has requested that none of the students return to school for the remainder of the year."

                Wolverine snarled; Beast looked stunned.  "They can't do that; the rights of minors to have a public education is a matter of federal law!  Forcing the students to withdraw at this point will ensure that all of them fail the year from the sheer amount of days missed; everyone will have to be held back; Scott and Jean are due to graduate!"

                "I did raise all of those objections; he told me that Professor Xavier will have to meet with him to reach an agreement on a fair way to keep everyone at the same level.  Unfortunately, the Professor isn't here to do so."  Storm cocked her head for a moment, gazing curiously at Beast.  "Unless you'd care to do it."

                "I can't," Beast refused, a snarl creeping into his voice.  "I highly doubt that the blue fur would be overlooked."

                "Forge can whip you up a holowatch," Wolverine injected.  "It's either that, or wait until we find Charles again… which could take months.  We haven't got too many options here, Hank."

                Growling softly, Beast looked from one to the other, then nodded.  "First thing in the morning, I'll ask Forge to start on the holowatch.  Right now, I think we all need some sleep.  It's been a long day."

                Rogue came out of her room the next morning eager for a shower and a decent breakfast.  Waking up to her Depeche Mode CD was such a welcome sound that she lingered in bed for three full tracks before slipping out of the sheets; at least she'd been excused from today's early morning martial arts training.  Agatha's instructions had apparently been communicated to the others, allowing her to take today and tomorrow off.  {_Not that I'll let 'em cut me any slack when I go back to the routine.  Jus' 'cause I been hit by a blight don't mean this steel magnolia's wiltin'.}_  Grabbing her robe and a towel, Rogue rushed to the showers, her only desire in that instant to wash the sterile scent of imprisonment out of her hair and begin to take her life back.

                Her shower took longer than she'd anticipated.  Once she was under the hot water, the steam billowing around her, Rogue found herself just lingering there.  Hugging her chest, she watched almost blindly as the water ran in smooth, wide rivers over her shoulders, across her breasts, pooling and eddying in the fold of her elbows… it caressed her almost as a lover might, touching her body in ways that no human ever could… which was why she had been kept sedated.  New memories, vaguely bouncing around in her mind, told her that Trask's men had discovered the nature of her mutant powers.  There was no doubt in her mind that if Pietro and Kurt hadn't come when they had, she would never have woken up.

                {_But what's it worth to wake up, when the only place anyone can touch me is in my own dreams?  They care 'bout me, else they wouldn' have come after me… but at least that way I wouldn' have felt anythin'.  I just woulda slipped away… nothin' would hurt anymore…}_

                Shaking herself, Rogue pushed away such dark thoughts.  She was still alive, and she had a responsibility to her friends.  Someday, she would have the luxury of indulging in her need to end it all, but now was not the time to abandon her friends and teammates… especially not now.  With almost savage vigor, she scrubbed her body until her skin was almost raw, washed her hair, and snapped off the shower.  It was time to get things back to normal.

                {_Not that things will ever be normal around here… the boys have moved in, Scott and Jean are together, and people hafta know what we are now… I wonder how many people saw us fightin' that thing… and Trask's makin' more… nope, this is one of them paradigms… nothin's ever gonna be like it was, because everythin's changed so much.  Nothing's ever gonna be exactly the same as it was… but we keep goin' anyway.}_

                Coming back down the hall to her room, Rogue was so preoccupied with her own thoughts that she almost missed it.  Pausing a few steps from her door, she gazed down in wonder; on the threshold of her room, perfectly centered on the little throw rug, was a single fire and ice rose:  purest white tipped in blood red.  The sight brought a soft 'O' to her lips as she stepped closer and picked it up.  The petals were soft as silk, the fragrance heady and deep.  It was an incredibly sweet gesture… but who had given it to her?

                There was no card attached.  None of the boys here had ever shown any interest beyond friendship; the only one to have caught her fancy was Scott, but he had been little more than an idle crush.  He and Jean had always been hopelessly into one another, even before their relationship had blossomed in the aftermath of the battle.  Someone who couldn't seduce him without killing him wasn't going to have any luck breaking them up.  That left the Brotherhood.  It really hadn't surprised Rogue to find them among the X-men after what had happened, and she was glad to have all of her friends safe and working together against Trask.  But even before their relationship had begun, Lance and Pietro had been too interested in one another to give her roses, and neither Todd nor Fred were really the type to do so.  Unfortunately, that eliminated everyone she knew…

                {_But y'all don' know Wanda.}_

                The unbidden thought startled the Southern girl.  True, she didn't really know Pietro's Goth twin.  Wanda had joined the Brotherhood only two weeks before the attack, and Rogue, for obvious reasons, didn't make a habit of visiting.  Wanda might very well be interested in her.  It seemed a bit strange that Wanda would act on any kind of attraction, considering the fact that if Mystique hadn't apprised her of the X-men's powers, including Rogue's, the other boys would have.  Her situation precluded almost all affectionate and erotic gestures.  Shrugging as she walked into her room, Rogue set the rose on her dresser and set about drying her hair.  Later, she could ask Wanda about it, warn her against the dangers of pursuing a relationship if her guess turned out to be correct.  Wanda seemed to be considerably calmer than before the battle in the supply yard; perhaps if Rogue approached her calmly and rationally, they could come to an amicable agreement that Rogue was not a suitable object for romantic intentions.  That was just how things were.  Turning her CD player back on, Rogue proceeded to get dressed in her favorite black corset and Lycra pants.  After a moment's thought, she pulled out her favorite translucent green shirt and pulled it over her corset.  The familiar feel of her clothes helped erase the memory of being trapped in her battle spandex… but it was still a long moment before she put on her gloves.  Instead, she sat at her mirror and put on her makeup, relishing her ability to restore her Gothic appearance.

  
_                Girl of sixteen  
                Whole life ahead of her  
                Slashed her wrists, bored with life  
                Didn't succeed; Thank the Lord  
                For small mercies  
  
                Fighting back tears  
                Mother reads the note again  
                Sixteen candles burn in her mind  
                Then came the rain; It's always the same  
                She falls down on her knees and prays  
  
                I don't want to start any blasphemous rumors  
                But I think that God's got a sick sense of humor  
                And when I die, I expect to find Him  
                Laughing…  
_  
                Sighing softly, Rogue just gazed at her appearance for a moment.  She'd always liked this song, especially when she'd discovered that her mutation prevented her from ever finding love, from ever being really happy.  Reaching out, she tugged on her black leather gloves, her expression grim.  "Story of my life," she muttered softly.  Standing up, she retrieved the rose from the dresser and walked out, determined to get some breakfast and then talk to Wanda.

                It had been an anxious night for Lance.  Fighting back drowsiness and fear with equal ferocity, the rock tumbler had watched Kurt's sleep through the entire day and night, waiting for his elf to wake up.  Wisely, Pietro had stayed away; Lance wasn't entirely sure what he'd do if he saw Pietro right now.  {_Damn his gorgeous hide, anyway!  Bad enough he tried that fool thing… but to bring Kurt along…}_  It was well past dawn when a soft moan brought Lance in from the balcony and back into the nest.  Kurt was shifting, almost searching for him… "I'm right here, Kurt."

                Those pale eyes opened, sending a surge of relief rushing through Lance's veins.  "Liebschon…" Kurt murmured as his gaze focused on those worried brown eyes, set above enough baggage for a month-long cruise.  "You look awful," he commented.

                A sound halfway between a chuckle and a sob left Lance's throat.  "Thanks, love… I'm glad you noticed."  He then gathered Kurt so tightly against him that the elf could barely breathe.  Kurt struggled against the flattening embrace, an elf-noise of startled protest escaping him.  "Thank God you're okay."

                "Ja… Ich am leben bin… Lance…"  Finally, Kurt whapped the brunette in the head with his tail.  "Lance, you're squashing me!"

                Another nervous chuckle left Lance as he relaxed his grip; he wasn't ready to let go by any means.  "I just… you slept for so long…"

                "I did the last time Rogue zapped me, too," Kurt replied.  Reaching up, he ran a soothing hand over Lance's face.  "I'm fine, love… I am not leaving you."

                Relief swept through Lance again, his eyes closing to relish the feel of that silken fur against his flesh.  He'd never felt so comfortable… so loved…  He was in the act of lowering his lips to Kurt's when Kurt's stomach growled vociferously.  The sound gave both of them pause, and Lance opened his eyes with a small smile.  "Hungry, love?"

                "I have not eaten since before dawn yesterday."  Kurt smiled ruefully.  "I think my stomach did not want you to make me forget that."

                The endearing admission earned Kurt a far swifter version of the kiss Lance had been about to bestow.  "Then why don't you stay right here while I go find something for breakfast?"  He smiled softly.  "I do need to remember that mein blau flauschig elf cannot live on passion alone."

                The spontaneous use of German surprised Kurt.  "When did you learn to say that?"

                Lance smiled boyishly.  "Did I forget to mention that I took German as my foreign language requirement?"

                Kurt blinked a little.  "But you… it is not an easy language for non-Germans… and you're not exactly…"

                "An A student?"  Lance smiled as Kurt blushed.  "Don't be embarrassed, love; it's true.  But the Spanish class filled up by the time I got around to making my schedule that year, and I didn't feel like learning French or Italian with a bunch of pudwacks who just wanted to act like Valentino or Casanova for their girl.  German was the only one left."

                Snuggling closer, Kurt couldn't help smiling a little.  If Lance knew some rudimentary German, maybe he would like to learn more… they could talk in his own language, maybe even visit Germany together someday…  Trying to remember that Pietro was still a factor, Kurt tucked such wooly-headed fancies into a corner of his mind.  His relationship with Lance was by no means a permanent situation… but being called 'my blue furry elf' in that low, sexy voice still made his toes curl.  "They teach words like flauschig in American German classes?"

                It was Lance's turn to blush at that one.  "No… we actually called our teacher that behind her back.  She, uh… woulda benefited from a closer acquaintance with a razor, if you know what I mean.  Somebody looked it up in a German-English dictionary."

                Kurt chuckled.  "You are terrible, liebschon."  Wrapping his body around Lance's a little tighter, Kurt's tail slid up the length of that broad, muscular back to ruffle his long sable hair.

                "The worst," Lance agreed, brushing his lips over Kurt's again.  "But… I should go fix you something to eat.  Is there anything you'd prefer?"

                "Spaetzel… but I doubt you know how to make it, so don't worry about it."  Kissing Lance warmly, Kurt smiled.  "Something warm will be fine."

                "No problem."  Lance slid out of the nest reluctantly, brushing the hair from Kurt's eyes as Kurt nestled into a comfortable position in the nest.  "I'll be back in a little while; just get some rest, okay?"

                "Ja… Lance?"

                "Yeah, Kurt?"  Lance paused at the door, turning to meet the pale eyes gazing at him from the nest.

                "I love you."

                The sound of the words, spoken freely and without a sexual premise, nearly made Lance's knees buckle.  It felt so good to hear them…  "I love you, too, Kurt.  Just get some rest."  Quickly, he slid out and closed the door behind him, taking a few deep, steadying breaths before he walked down to the kitchen.

                He never noticed the shadow crouched just behind the hall table behind him.  Never noticed, in the midst of his tangled emotions, the breath of air that followed him to the elevator caused by a lithe figure dashing soundlessly into the room he'd just left.

A/N:  Now I know I'm being evil, but just because I have to type faster doesn't mean I'm making this creation any shorter.  Stick around!  I promise it'll be worth the wait.


	9. Chapter Eight

Author's Note:  Once again, I reiterate my fury over the blatantly unconstitutional actions of ff.net.  I'm so angry, in fact, that my reactions to the Season 3 premiere which aired today will be saved for a later date or the Evo Whores chat room, where I'm sure Psycho B is eagerly awaiting my input.  In any event, please read and review; all my past reviews for this story have been downloaded, but I would kinda like some new ones.  Please?  Tell me you still love me?

This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning".  It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-.  X-men:  Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting.  You can't sue me!  I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P  There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies.  If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, AudioGalaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded.  I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.

Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged.  Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement.  Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense.  You have been warned.

Recommended Musical Accompaniment:  Play the Game- Motorhead  
                                                                                It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park  
                                                                                Angry Johnny- Poe  
                                                                                Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode  
                                                                                Dogma- KMFDM  
                                                                                How You Remind Me- Nickelback  
                                                                                Torpedoes- MDFMK  
                                                                                Empty- Anathema  
                                                                                Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory  
                                                                                Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale  
                                                                                Nothing Else Matters- Metallica  
                                                                                Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton  
                                                                                To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden  
  


Aftermath:  Chapter Eight  
By Lady Eternal 

                There he lay.  His rival.  His replacement.  And yet not.  Pietro couldn't help feeling a surge of tenderness as he gazed upon the fluffy blue creature nested comfortably on the bed.  It was easy to see what had so enthralled Lance; more so because Lance probably hadn't even been expecting such cuddly qualities to affect him as they so obviously had.  But Pietro appraised the elf with a connoisseur's eye, knowing already the kind of pleasure that Lance had found in his arms.  {_The kind that he used to find in mine… and yet not.  I never understood what Lance wanted when he got that far-off look in his eyes.  He'd lie awake for hours, dreaming about what our future would be like, and I never understood why… but I think Kurt does.  He's been there; he knows what Lance wants… and what I need.  I know that now, too.  Why couldn't I see it before?}_  Carefully, he lifted one of the edges of the nest and slipped inside, nestling against the dozing elf.  That tail wrapped around him as Kurt woke to the presence of a non-Lance male.  "Hey, gorgeous.  Got room for one more in here?"

                "Pietro?"  Kurt blinked in confusion, suddenly aware of the fact that he was only wearing boxers.  In fact, so was Pietro.  "What are you doing here?"

                "I wanted to make sure you were okay."  Reaching up, Pietro stroked a hand through that dark blue hair.  "You did get zapped pretty well."

                "Ich am in leben sein," Kurt muttered, his tone slightly more annoyed now.  "It's not like I got hit by a car or something.  If Lance finds you in here…"

                "He's in for an irresistible eyeful," Pietro finished, smirking deviously.  "You think he hasn't had a dream or two about seeing us like this?"

                Those pale eyes widened, and then Kurt blushed.  "I… don't know…"

                Sliding his arms around Kurt's slender frame, Pietro's smirk faded into a gentler smile.  "I do.  I know what Lance likes.  You know what he needs.  It stands to reason that we ought to team up, don't you think?"

                Kurt's eyes got a little wider.  "Are you saying what I think you're saying?"

                Tucking Kurt a little closer, Pietro stroked that soft fur.  {_Oh, yeah… I can definitely see why Lance fell in love with him.  He's so soft… so innocent…}_  "I'm saying… that I told you things were gonna work out… and I've finally figured out how."  Before Kurt could reply, Pietro leaned closer and kissed him.

                Utter shock gave way to acquiescence.  Pietro's lips were warm and soft and expert, easily parting Kurt's lips and teasing Kurt's tongue to tangle softly with his.  Kurt couldn't help responding to him, curling even closer and tangling his fingers in that silky, snowy hair.  It had to be a dream… Pietro couldn't really be here… and yet he was, and Kurt couldn't help thinking that it did feel right…  The door opened, and Kurt pulled away guiltily.  Pietro smiled in contentment as Kurt averted his eyes, then rolled over with a satisfied smirk to face Lance.  Sure enough, Lance had seen him, and was now staring in undisguised shock at the nest.  "Well?  Are you coming in or not?"

                "Pietro… what…?"  Lance's hands shook, and he forced himself to set down the tray of oatmeal and herbal tea before he dropped it.

                "You're still thinking like a gahdje, love.  There's no reason the three of us can't be happy together.  I'm perfectly willing to share you with Kurt… I can see why he pleases you so; he tastes like sun-ripe peaches."  He smirked even more contentedly at the elf-noise of embarrassment behind him.  "And he's so innocent…"

                "Dammit, Pie!"  Lance strode forward, intent on pulling Pietro from the nest and shaking him until those perfect teeth rattled. "You betray us, you nearly get people killed, and then you show up in here proposing… actually thinking I might…"  Reaching down, he took hold of Pietro's shoulders, ready to drag him from the nest…

                He didn't make it quite that far.  The moment his hand touched that soft, pale skin, knowing that only a few seconds earlier those smirking lips had been actively kissing Kurt's, every rational thought left Lance's mind.  Instead, he fell to his knees, tears in his eyes as his betrayal and his uncertainty and his love for both of these beautiful men rose up to choke him.  "Pie…"

                "It's okay, Lance."  Pietro reached down, urging Lance up into the nest and between he and Kurt.  Without needing a cue, Kurt nestled closer on one side as Pietro snuggled into Lance on the other.  "I'm not here to make you choose:  I know you can't.  I'm here to prove that you don't have to."

                Opening his eyes, Lance gazed down at the snowy-haired gypsy that had so enraptured him.  From the moment he'd met Pietro, the younger mutant had slowly invaded his heart; in the end, there had been no denying what Lance felt.  But in Pietro's wake had come Kurt, and now they both lay curled up beside him:  both with expressions of love and concern, both so beautiful… "Kurt needs breakfast," Lance murmured.  {_Can it really be true?  Does he really mean what he's saying?  And Kurt?  What if this isn't what he wants?  I have to be sure… I can't lose them…}_

                "Which you quite thoughtfully provided," Pietro replied.  He slipped out of the nest and fetched the tray too quickly for liquid to spill, deliberately positioning it across Lance's washboard abs.  "He's absolutely right, Kurt:  you should eat something.  After all, you need to keep your strength up."  The last was said with a very cocksure PietroSmirk.

                Rather predictably, Kurt blushed.  "Ja, I will… especially if I plan on keeping up with you."

                "Oh, I don't know:  Lance might like having someone around that moves at a slightly slower pace."

                The pair leveled very knowing, very mischievous gazes at the rock-tumbler.  The moment the innuendo registered, Lance let out a soft whimper of defeat and yanked the pillow out from under his head, hiding under it.

                When Rogue walked into Wanda's room, she found the raven-haired Goth curled up on the bed, which had been moved as close as possible to the small balcony overlooking the Bay.  The stereo was playing, either a mix CD or on random, Rogue couldn't tell.  The haunting Goth metal was music to Rogue's ears.  She'd spent too long trapped with social butterflies and their boy bands.  "Where'd you get your collection?" Rogue asked softly.

                Wanda looked up from her book, smiling just a bit as the rose in Rogue's hand caught her eye.  She'd noticed it.  "Downloads.  Seeking to keep me calm, Mystique gave me access to her rooms… and everything in them."

                "You know how to use a computer?"  Rogue was obviously surprised.  "But I thought…"

                "That I was caged like a beast?"  Wanda shook her head, a slightly pained expression in her hooded blue eyes.  "Not until my powers began to mature.  I was never allowed outside, even as a small child, but Father wanted me educated as well as contained.  In the event that I might ever become useful, he did not want an idiot on his hands."

                Entranced and empathetic, Rogue moved to sit opposite Wanda.  "So… they kept you in straight-jackets; stuff like that?"

                "They did."  Wanda's voice was tight, controlled; it was easy for Rogue to see how horrible that part of Wanda's life had been for her.  "They caged me, bound and trussed me like a fresh kill when I had to be removed.  To an extent, they did what was necessary to protect themselves.  I was, after all, mad with rage."

                "Because Magneto put you there?"

                Wanda nodded.  "He took my freedom and my twin in one crushing blow.  For a gahdje, it would be bad enough, but we are Roma.  Imprisonment is, for us, a fate worse than death.  What he did is unforgivable; inexcusable after experiencing the same in Poland at the hands of the Nazis."

                "I didn't know y'all were a gypsy."

                The Southern contraction brought a smile to Wanda's lips:  a rather adorable sign that Rogue was becoming more comfortable with her.  "Both of our parents were."

                "What happened to your mother?" Rogue asked tentatively.

                "She died not long after Pietro and I were born."

                Biting her lip, Rogue's expression went from embarrassment from bringing it up to deep sympathy.  "Sorry."

                "You couldn't have known," Wanda forgave.  "I never really knew her, but I know she loved us… much more than Magneto ever did.  It's enough for me."

                For a moment, Rogue wasn't sure what to say.  Wanda's presence was comfortable, warm… for some reason, Rogue felt safe with her; an unusual sentiment, especially given Wanda's heritage and violent proclivities.  Somehow, it didn't seem to matter.

                Their lapse in conversation allowed Wanda to assess Rogue's posture.  It seemed that her Rogue was indeed feeling more relaxed around her.  She smiled.  "I'm glad it pleases you."

                Rogue blinked, then followed Wanda's gaze to the rose in her hand.  She blushed faintly.  "It's real pretty," Rogue replied, her drawl returning.  "Y'all didn' hafta do that, though."

                "It pleased me to," Wanda told her softly.  "I don't imagine you've received many."

                "Why do y'all say that?"

                Wanda smiled; Rogue couldn't help seeing echoes of Pietro's smirk on those crimson lips.  "Because there is not one man here with an ounce of chivalry… with the exception of Kurt, but his sensibilities are directed elsewhere.  And there is no woman here with the… proper appreciation for such a perfect damask rose."

                The compliment brought a deeper flush to Rogue's pale cheeks.  "It's not like I can… I mean, why would y'all give roses to somebody y'all cain't touch?"

                A warm chuckle rumbled in Wanda's throat.  "Gahdje are such cowards:  afraid to tempt the devil in order to woo an angel."  Sliding closer, she gave Rogue no time to escape as she leaned in.  Rogue shivered at the feel of warm skin a perilous hair's breadth from her own.  "I fear very little, my sweet Rogue… and unlike these timid gahdje, I will not allow your powers to come between us."

                Just the sound of Wanda's husky voice caressing her ear sent warm twinges spiraling through Rogue's body.  A soft gasp left her as Wanda's hand came to rest on her arm.  The heat of her touch seemed to sear through the filmy material of her blouse; Rogue's body reacted savagely to the first real stimulus she'd received, and the Southern belle suddenly found herself breathing a bit heavier.  Wanda was entranced by her innocence, her body's eager response to a simple touch.  Her Rogue would be a wild, passionate lover; Wanda found herself hard pressed to maintain some self-control… those lips were so tempting:  parted and begging to be kissed…

                Rogue remembered herself faster.  In a heartbeat, she slid off the bed and away from Wanda.  "We can't.  It would kill you."

                "I fear death least of all, my Rogue."  Wanda slid off the bed to stand beside her.  Before Rogue could back away, Wanda lifted Rogue's gloved hand to her lips for a soft, courtly kiss.  "Death can be easily cheated… especially by a Roma.  The choice is yours."

                For one heated instant, Rogue's body clamored to step forward:  to take whatever fleeting pleasure she might find in Wanda's arms.  Her rational mind took control only with great effort, and Rogue turned and ran out.  Wanda watched her go, still smiling softly.  Her sweet Rogue still clung tightly to the rose.

                Her thoughts whirling, Rogue sought refuge away from the majority of the other students.  Professor Xavier had, over the years, compiled an impressive library, and Rogue needed the stability of a tome that smelled of old knowledge and talked about obscure occultism.  {_A nice long research paper on vampirism or witchcraft… that'd be good.  Maybe Mr. McCoy'll even give me extra credit for it.}_

                The huge library provided hours of solitude and plenty of hiding places.  Amidst the old books of lore and legend, Rogue regained her stability.  She had resigned herself to her fate, if not reconciled herself to it, and no one could change that… no matter how romantic she might be.  Still, Rogue found herself drawn more and more to the references to the powers of the Roma in the volumes she pored over.  A powerful and ancient people, rumored to be everything from one of the lost tribes of Israel to refugees of the great fire in Rome to descendants of Atlantean survivors.  Their magicks were potent; seemingly limitless… some tales even claimed that an adept Romani witch or warlock could raise the dead…

                "Dammit!"  Rogue slammed the book shut, shoving it away.  It would do her no good to delude herself with exaggerated tales of powers Wanda might or might not possess.  Wanda's attentions were sweet, but lethal to the beautiful Goth if allowed to become too amorous.

                "You all right, darlin'?"  Sam's head came poking around the shelves; he'd obviously heard her angry epithet.

                "Just peachy," Rogue replied, crossing her arms and slumping back in her chair.  "Didn' mean to startle y'all, Sam."

                "Y'all's upset 'bout somethin'."  Sam walked over and sat in one of the other chairs at the study table.  "Tell ol' Sam what's wrong."

                "Ain't nothin' to be done 'bout it, Sam."  Rogue's posture slipped a little more as she let her drawl come out in full force.  Most of the time, she controlled the telltale sign of her background, but when her emotions ran high, or when she talked to Sam for more than thirty seconds, it returned with a vengeance.  "S'nothin' anybody can do."

                "Don' be silly, darlin'.  After all, it's a clear day out.  Y'all an' I could take that hill if'n we wanted all by ourselves."

                Rogue chuckled softly at the earnest expression on his face.  "I b'lieve we could, Sam, but this is a dang mountain."

                "Mountains are jus' big ol' hills, darlin'.  Jus' takes a bit longer to take 'em, s'all."  He patted her gloved hand.  "Y'all're talkin' 'bout y'all's powers, ain'tchya?"

                "Yup.  I jus'… I don' know if'n I can explain it right, Sam… or if'n y'all can understand."

                "I might not understand completely, darlin', but I listen pretty well."

                Rogue smiled; he was being awfully sweet.  "Well… I never counted on this happenin', really.  Growin' up down South, it don' really get discussed; but… well… Wanda-likes-me."

                Sam blinked, catching her words even with the drawl and the PietroSpeed.  "Are y'all sure?"

                Sighing heavily, Rogue nodded.  "She left a rose on my doormat this mornin'; said she wasn' afraid of my powers.  I jus' don' know what to make of it, Sam.  That place she was in musta made her stark ravin' crazy to think she could do anythin' 'bout my powers when nobody else can."

                "I wouldn' go quite that far, darlin'," Sam replied softly.  "After managin' to rebuild this place-"

                "What?"  Rogue sat up at that.  "Whatchy'all mean, 'rebuild this place'?"

                "Didn' anybody tell y'all?"  Sam shook his head.  "I guess not, what with y'all getting' hurt an' all.  But Confederate ladies 're a lot tougher than anybody gives 'em credit for; 'specially compared to Yankee women.  I don' see no harm in tellin' y'all now."  Sam leaned forward across the table towards her, lowering his voice a bit.  "Mystique was masqueradin' as Professor X, an' she set the computers to Defcon 4 before y'all went off to the supply yard.  We couldn' get it shut down; Scott managed to get Cerebro opened up, an' we all hid in there when the place blew."

                "Geez," Rogue muttered.  "An' Wanda rebuilt it?"

                "Yeah.  Nobody's been able to quite figure out how she got everythin' so perfect.  One night, she jus'… folded space or somethin', and it was like the explosion never happened.  We found her passed out in y'all's room.  Doin' it nearly took the life outve her."

                For a moment, Rogue could say nothing.  The very idea of it was numbing to the mind.  Wanda, nearly killing herself for them?  It didn't make any sense, especially so soon after she'd buried the lot of them in the Bayville Galleria.  "Did she even say why?"

                "Not once.  I'm pretty sure it's 'cause she wanted to get Pietro back; they patched up they's differences pretty quick after y'all tol' him to come for help."  Sam paused for a moment, then took a deep breath.  "She's powerful, Rogue.  Ev'rybody 'round here knows it.  That woman she had come to heal y'all?  Todd an' them said she was trainin' Wanda to use magic as well as her mutant powers.  Nobody knows how much she can actually do; if there's anythin' at all she cain't do.  If there's anybody that can get 'round y'all's powers, I'd say it's her."

                "Sam, y'all must be the very last person I'd think would tell me that I should try and start datin' a girl."  Rogue managed a half-smile, inwardly shaken by Sam's quiet declaration of the extent of Wanda's powers.

                "Well, it's not like y'all seem that opposed to it, darlin'," Sam countered.  "If I was in y'all's situation, I surely wouldn' want somebody tellin' me to ignore a chance to be happy just 'cause it came from a guy."

                Startled for a moment, Rogue blinked as she realized that she truly hadn't objected to the idea that Wanda was a woman; the danger of the attraction seemed to have negated the potential strangeness of it.  Yet now that Rogue considered the idea on its face, she had to admit that she wasn't really opposed to the idea that she might enter into a relationship with a woman.  Shaking her head suddenly, she buried her face in her hands.  "I just… I cain't think about it now," she finally murmured.  "It's too much to deal with."

                Sam offered her a sympathetic smile as he patted her hand.  "Don'tchy'all worry 'bout a thing, darlin'.  It'll all come out right in the end."

                Lifting her head from her hands, Rogue offered a wan smile in reply.  "Thanks, Sam.  I think I'm gonna hang 'round here for a while."

                "Okay, darlin'.  I gotta get to a Danger Room session, anyway.  See y'all at dinner."  Offering another friendly smile, Sam rose from his chair and left.

                The smile melted off Rogue's face as the door clicked shut behind him.  {_Yeah, right.  Ev'rythin's gonna be just fine.}_  Grasping the old book again, Rogue opened it to the page where she'd left off.  Right now, she truly didn't want to think about it.

                "You have to admit, Superintendent," Hank said politely as he sat down in Superintendent Michaels' office, "that it is hardly fair to punish all of these students for events beyond their control."

                "You're referring, of course, to their… abilities," Michaels replied.

                "Also to the machinations of other mutants with agendas of their own."  Hank didn't like the quiet expression on the superintendent's face.  "After all, the goal of the Institute is to teach these children how to control their abilities so that they can function in society without disrupting the lives of their fellow men."

                "And to teach them how to use those abilities if attacked."  Michaels set his elbows on the desk, lacing his fingers together.

                "That's taking things out of context, Superintendent.  They're not being trained to use their powers like offensive weapons.  It's rather like being trained in martial arts:  they have abilities that require a great deal of discipline to use, but with that discipline comes the understanding that those abilities should not be used unless absolutely necessary."  Hank tried not to look as nervous as he was beginning to feel.  This had to be nipped in the bud.  "The fact remains, however, that federal law prohibits the denial of any minor to a public education, regardless of race, religion, creed.  Even if you have reasons to be concerned about those students who were merely defending themselves against a highly unique threat, discouraging those who were not involved is a violation of their civil rights."

                For a moment, Michaels seemed to consider the matter.  "And why couldn't Professor Xavier meet me himself?"

                "Unfortunately, he's out of town at the moment," Hank lied, hoping that he wasn't obvious about it.  "Trying to prevent someone who is dangerous from harming either the students or anyone else."

                After what seemed like an eternity, Michaels nodded.  "You do have a point, Mr. McCoy… one you obviously believe in strongly since you've left us to work at the Institute.  I'm not entirely sure that federal law covers mutants, but the ensuing court case isn't one I'd like to see played out.  However, I want you to be prepared for the reality that several of those children were easily recognized.  If they're going to attend school, then all of them have to be prepared for some backlash."

                "What about Principal Kelly?" Hank asked carefully.

                "Naturally, he's not going to approve.  However, I'm not quite willing to experiment in a very gray legal area… so long as these children really are learning the kind of discipline you claim they are."

                "I appreciate your good faith, Superintendent."  With a grateful smile, Hank stood up.

                Michaels stood up as well, reaching out to shake hands.  "Just see to it that it isn't misplaced, Mr. McCoy."

                Taking his hand, Hank was glad he'd worn gloves.  "I will, sir."

                It seemed that meals were becoming more and more informal around the mansion since the incident.  Training schedules were starting to become as rigorous as before, especially since Wolverine had returned, but everyone's nerves were still a bit taut.  The announcement that their attendance at Bayville High had been 'discouraged' until further notice hadn't helped, either.  Without eight hours of school and two or three hours of homework to distract them from the specter of Sentinels and a missing professor and public exposure as mutants, people's appetites seemed to shift as unpredictably as the winds.  The young mutants just drifted into the kitchen when they felt hungry; all except Fred, whose voracious appetite seemed to have deserted him of late.  It was sheer luck, though he wasn't sure whether it was good or bad, that brought Lance back down to the kitchen to make dinner for his beloveds at the same time Kitty was foraging for something to stave off her own hunger.  {_Jesus… why me?}_  "Anything good in there?" Lance asked mildly.

                Kitty straightened at the sound of his voice, visibly stiffening.  It was the first time they'd really been alone together since the whole mess began.  "I think there's some hot dogs in here somewhere."

                Lance made a face, then walked over to the cupboards and started removing the ingredients for spaghetti.  "No thanks.  I doubt I could get either Pietro or Kurt to down one of those."

                "So you've decided to have your cake and eat it too, huh?"

                The icy edge to her tone caused Lance to turn.  Kitty was standing there with her arms folded across her chest:  a classic unhappy female posture.  "They came to the decision to share me, actually.  I got informed about their plan at breakfast this morning and really didn't get given much choice in the matter."  Kitty sniffed derisively and Lance quirked an eyebrow.  "Are you upset because you don't believe me, or because you do?"

                "I thought you and I were moving towards a relationship, Lance.  You made me think that you honestly were starting to care."

                "And that means what, Kitty?  That I owe you something?  It wasn't going to work out.  That much became painfully obvious when I tried living here."

                "So, all of a sudden, I'm not good enough for you, but Kurt is?  Oh, that's great, Lance.  Really:  thanks a lot."  Uncrossing her arms, her hands moved to her hips as she took a step closer to him.  "How long until you realize that Kurt's too high-maintenance, too?  What happens then?"

                "You don't understand, Kitty," Lance replied, filling a pot with hot water and setting it on the stove.  "You're used to being Daddy's little girl:  having everything your way, getting any guy you want by just batting your eyes.  You've even got Wolverine wrapped around your little finger.  That's a great situation for you, and I'm sure that someday you'll meet somebody who'll take care of you and give you whatever you want anytime you do that big-eyes-pouty-lip routine.  I need more than that, and I realized while I was living here that you can't give it… at least not right now."

                "And just what is it that I supposedly can't give, Lance?" Kitty retorted acidly.  "A good blow job?"

                "That's beneath you, Kitty, and you know that's not what I mean."  Lance remained with his back to the hissing kitten, adding a few spices to the sauce while the water worked towards a boil.

                "Then spell it out for me."

                "I've never had what you have, Kitty.  I've never had parents that gave a damn, real or foster.  I've never had anyone take care of me when I was sick, or make my favorites because I did well in school.  Before Pietro, everybody I've ever slept with has been for physical comfort, but it's been hollow.  Even Tabby didn't offer any real emotional ties.  Hell, Pietro didn't even say it back when I told him I loved him the first time.  Kurt's the first person I've ever said it to who said it back."  Adding the pasta to the finally boiling water, Lance turned his head briefly to glance at her.  "I need someone to give a damn about whether I live or die, Kitty.  I need more than just some sophomoric relationship based on teenage hormones.  You're looking for a boyfriend based on the 'ohmigod, he's so-o-o cute' reaction.  I need someone to stay."

                For a moment, Kitty didn't know what to say.  Sure, Lance's bad-boy, brooding image had been really attractive, but she hadn't really believed it was much more than a posture of rebellion.  To her, it was something he could grow out of eventually; she hadn't realized just how deeply the reasons for that behavior ran.  "But both Kurt and Pietro?" she finally asked.  "Isn't that kinda… weird?"

                "Not really.  I love both of them.  They both love me.  They'll both stay.  I don't see anything weird about that."  Turning back to the stove, he stirred both pots.  "In fact, it feels really nice:  being loved by two people.  That's two more than have ever loved me in my whole life."

                A surge of compassion welled up inside Kitty.  Walking over, she gave Lance a hug from behind.  "So… are you gonna stay here?"

                "I don't know what we're gonna do, Kitty.  We haven't really talked about that.  Pietro's Rom, so for all I know, he might want to build a caravan and park it on the south lawn someplace.  He and Wanda might want to go wandering for a couple years after all this is over.  Who knows?  Right now, we've got lots of time ahead of us."  Setting down the spoon, he turned and hugged her gently.  "It's okay.  It's not your fault, you know.  You're sweet and warm and caring; I just need more than you have to give.  If things had been different, I'd be really lucky to end up with someone like you."

                Kitty smiled softly, then leaned up to kiss his cheek.  "Thanks.  Just don't ever hurt Kurt, you hear me?  I don't wanna have to come kick your ass."

                Lance chuckled, mussing her hair.  "Put up the claws, Shadowcat.  I'm not gonna hurt the elf; I promise."

                Releasing him, Kitty went back to searching the fridge for something to eat as Lance returned to watching the pasta.  Neither of them noticed the dark-skinned skateboarder hovering just outside the doorway, listening with a heavy heart to their conversation.  Deciding that he really wasn't hungry, after all, Evan turned away from the kitchen and walked back upstairs.

A/N:  We're getting towards the real reasons I started writing this story… which would make me feel lots better if it weren't for all this crap from ff.net.  I apologize in advance if the Southern drawl is a little tough, but translating all the places where they string words together would take up way too much room, and people tend to complain about long Author's Notes.  Please review?  Please?  ::give the big, teary, puppy-dog look::


	10. Chapter Nine

Author's Note: Well now, things are definitely getting interesting around here, aren't they? We're coming down to the end, everybody; whether you love this story or think I'm just nuts, it's almost over. I'm hoping you enjoyed the ride. 

Replies:   
Sera Luanma: I'm glad that you're enjoying the unusual pairings in the story. This fic started out really as a favor to Lord R, who wanted to see a threesome between Kurt, Pietro, and Lance; it just sort of took on a life of its own after **_Day of Reckoning_**. Hopefully, it will remain as satisfying to my fans until the end, and not become tedious or drawn out. Keep reading!   
Psychodelic Barfly: I'm glad you still love me, sweetie! I hope you like this chapter as much as you liked **The Second Order Of Business**; you'll prolly just yell at me for the elf being there, too, but I can live. And I know you're just loving the other little ficcy I sent you… ::evil grin:: And thanks for the advice on those pesky error popups; I was about to tear out my hair, and I don't think R would like me bald.   
me: Of course Wolverine is whipped over Kitty; they couldn't very well have him whipped over Jubilee like the FOX show when she's not even a main character in the series! They're ignoring the dynamic between he and Jean, too, which is prolly because she's underage in Evo. As far as your questions about Evan are concerned, I'm drawing from elements already established in the fanfic world as well as the series to write the interpersonal dynamics in this story. Basically, this means that I agree with the fandom's assesment that Evan and Pietro have a romantic/sexual history, just like I agree that Lance and Pietro have a serious thing going. Allow me to give you a quick rundown of who's playing for which team, at least as things stand in my story:   
Straight: Todd, Fred, Scott, Jean, Kitty   
Bisexual: Lance, Kurt, Rogue   
Gay (or Lesbian): Pietro, Evan, Wanda   
I hope this answers your questions, and that you like these last few chapters.   
batE: You're alive!!!!! I'm so honored that you came out of your shell to review my fic! ::happy squealing:: I just can't express how glad I am that you like my story. As for the polyamory research, have fun! If you have any questions, e-mail me; I've done some research of my own into the mechanics for a few other stories, just like I've done with the Roma. Please let me know if there's anything I can do to help you with whatever it is you're going through. I've been in some pretty deep blue funks in my life; even contemplated suicide a couple of times. I might not know exactly what you're feeling, but I know what it's like to be burned out on your life. ::hugs:: Here's hoping my story will provide you with a little entertainment. And Psycho B finally wrote Ch. 29!!!! Go read it! ::shoos:: 

Disclaimer: This story takes place after "Day of Reckoning". It is erotica, and therefore is not for the eyes of those under 18 or easily offended by sexual situations, homo- or hetero-. X-men: Evolution is the property of the WB, Marvel comics, and several people that I'm probably forgetting. You can't sue me! I don't have any money anyway, so it wouldn't do you any good. :-P There are also random songfic elements to this story; the songs used (plus a few others for good measure) are listed below and belong to their respective artists and recording companies. If you do not have these songs or have never heard them, Audio Galaxy is a free peer-to-peer mp3 site where they can likely be downloaded. I especially recommend the songs by Anathema, Godgory, Linkin' Park, Depeche Mode, Poe and Nickelback as theme music for Wanda.   
Comments, questions, and favorable reviews are encouraged. Criticisms that are phrased civilly will be taken under advisement. Flames will be fueled with napalm and returned, causing the offending keyboard to melt internally and be unable to manufacture any further unchivalrous nonsense. You have been warned. 

Recommended Musical Accompaniment: Play the Game- Motorhead   
                    It Doesn't Even Matter- Linkin' Park   
                    Angry Johnny- Poe   
                    Blasphemous Rumors- Depeche Mode   
                    Dogma- KMFDM   
                    How You Remind Me- Nickelback   
                    Torpedoes- MDFMK   
                    Empty- Anathema   
                    Conspiracy of Silence- Godgory   
                    Last Note of Freedom- David Coverdale   
                    Nothing Else Matters- Metallica   
                    Can I Touch You… There- Michael Bolton   
                    To The Moon and Back- Savage Garden 

**_Aftermath: Chapter Nine   
By Lady Eternal_**

    The evening wind whispered through the trees as Wanda stood out on her balcony, breathing in the night. It had been years since she'd had the opportunity, and she relished the chance now. She wished that Rogue was here to share the moment, but that would come in time. She could afford to be patient. A soft knock at her door barely registered. _Come in, Brother._     Pietro stepped inside, walking out to the balcony. _Are you all right, Sister?     I've discovered what was trying to get my attention. Now I must simply wait. How did things go with Lance and Kurt?     We've been cuddling and talking all day. It's been really nice, being with Lance like that again… and Kurt just makes it better.     Then you understand?     Finally. What… what are we going to do? Stay here? Wander?     We should stay here for a little while, I think. Rogue and Kurt both have dear friends here that they will not likely want to leave behind, and their loyalty to Xavier is strong. But neither do I want to live in this mansion. Xavier has no understanding of the Roma; it would be best, perhaps, to simply build a pair of caravans and live in them on the property. That way, if it becomes necessary to leave quickly, we have the means to do so.     So it is Rogue. I thought as much. But can you truly get around her powers?     I already have
_.     A ripple of surprise went through Pietro. _When? How?     Today. It was fairly easy, actually.     But how, Sister? I know you were able to bind Magneto's power back there on the skyscraper, but…     I did not bind her power, Brother. That would leave her almost totally defenseless. I simply gave her something of greater strength than my life force to appease that power.     What?
_     Wanda smiled softly, leaning on the balcony wall and gazing at the starlight flickering across the surface of the Bay. _My heart._     Pietro smiled wryly. _You're not telling me everything.     Of course I'm not. I can't be giving away all my secrets.
_ Reaching out, she drew him into a gentle embrace. _You should go back to them. I'm sure they miss you already.     Yeah… I know. I miss you, too, though.     I know you do. It'll be all right, Brother. Once the newness wears off with our lovers, we'll find a way to fit together again. It's to be expected, after all; we're not identical, but we are twins. Just because we don't share a one doesn't mean we aren't supposed to be together. Sometimes, I think that's why Magneto fought so hard to separate us.     What do you mean?     Sometimes, I think that he might be a dominant himself: an identical dominant, only the Nazis killed his submissive. It would explain a great many things; it wouldn't make them forgivable, but it would explain them.
_     Pietro couldn't help agreeing with her. It gave him a distinct moment of pause, thinking of his father being a minus-one dominant: living solely for revenge on those he blamed for the death of his submissive, until that thirst for revenge utterly consumed him. In a flash, he was hugging Wanda close again, clinging tightly and resting his head on her shoulder. _I love you, Sister. I couldn't bear it if anything happened to you.     I know, Brother. I love you, too. Now go; be happy with them. We have time now.     Okay.
_ Giving her a gentle kiss on the cheek, Pietro released her and left. Only Kurt could have gotten to the room faster, but Pietro was more than glad to see Lance still tucked contentedly in the nest with Kurt. Slipping inside, he was instantly scooped into the center of a warm snuggle. "You guys miss me or something?"     "You bet we did," Lance replied, nestling close. "Is your sister okay?"     "She's fine." Pietro sighed softly. "I just… it's been a long time since I had her near me; so long that I'd forgotten how soothing her presence really is. I think my father might even have been repressing those feelings while I was under his control." A shiver passed through him, and he was automatically cuddled by Lance and Kurt. "It's weird: I feel like I've just woken up from a really heinous dream."     "It's okay, liebschon," Kurt soothed. "We are here for you."     Pietro smiled softly. "I love you," he whispered to both of them. The soft declaration earned him a deep, warm kiss from Lance even as Kurt snuggled closer, his lips brushing softly over the curve of Pietro's neck. Pietro let out a soft little cry, squirming a bit as his hypersensitive body reacted sharply to their gentle attentions. Kurt was caressing him from behind, his soft fur whispering against his flesh like a bolt of new silk, while Lance gently suckled on his lower lip, his fingers laced into his snowy hair.     It didn't take long for the two of them to undress him; not that Pietro was fighting them. Pietro was tugging at Lance's clothes just as eagerly, his hips alternately wriggling against Kurt's and Lance's. Lance's hands were just as nimble at a distance; helping Kurt to discard what little clothing he wore as well… Soft lips… the brush of silken fur across his back, his hips, his legs… Pietro tried to breathe, but all he could seem to do was moan. His body writhed helplessly under their tender assault, one hand digging into Lance's shoulder while the other reached mindlessly for Kurt… And then he was rolled… tender, callused hands turning him to face Kurt… molding and caressing every part of his body even as legs almost as powerful as his wrapped around his waist… He tried to remember, to gather his mind, but all he could seem to catch were moments…     It was too easy. Lance had wanted to wait, to draw the moment out, but He had been too long without Pietro in his arms, and the sight of Kurt writhing under Pietro's attentions was too potent to resist. With a grace born of love and experience, Lance slid between those taut, rounded cheeks, one arm around Pietro's chest and the other reaching out to touch Kurt. A long, low moan burst from Pietro's lips and he followed Lance's motion, sliding up into Kurt and earning a high-pitched cry from the elf.     For a space of heartbeats, the trio hovered as they were. Lance clung to both of them, savoring the feel of soft fur beneath his fingers and deep warmth sheathing him. Slowly, almost as tentatively as the first time he'd ever made love to a man, he flexed his hips inside Pietro. Pietro gasped and arched back against him; Kurt tightened his legs around Pietro's waist as the pressure inside him waned. But then it returned as Pietro arched away from Lance's withdrawl, and Kurt's head fell back as though his neck could no longer support it.     Long, slow, deep: none of the boys were in a hurry to reach a climax. Lance and Pietro were learning each other again, finding where Kurt fit in, absorbing the feel of one another's embrace. Their passions ebbed and flowed like the tide as they clung to one another, each responding to the others' needs… and then Pietro felt something stir… bonds growing, formed by love and the magic of his people, braiding them together so tightly that not even death would truly part them… Pietro gasped, feeling the startlement of his lovers, panicking for a moment in the face of power he hadn't felt in years…     _It's all right, Brother,_ came Wanda's voice in his mind, soothing his fears.     Pietro let go, reaching out along the web of flowering vines that were weaving themselves between he and Lance and Kurt, soothing their uncertainties and drawing them deeper into the binding… Pietro could see the tendrils curling around them, meshing together, budding as their passion grew and heightening their passions in return… the exchange was a dizzying high… Pietro could see the buds growing heavy, almost in bloom… almost…     They burst open, the flood of sensation over the bonds rippling through each of them. Kurt burrowed into Pietro even as Lance's arms tightened around them, all three succumbing to the tide…     Exhausted and overwhelmed, all three just curled into one another inside the nest. Lance clung to both of them, feeling them both nestle into him, his mind lingering in the overpowering sense of 'one-ness' that their bonds had created. There was Pietro, with his devil-may-care passion, his sweet and tender side that he usually kept hidden, his zest and his boyish charm and his mischevious blue eyes. And then there was Kurt, with his innocence, his artless abandon, his elfin deviousness and his yearning for hearth and home. They were both there, at the touch of a thought; both responded instantly, touching his mind with their own… Lance broke down and wept.     As quickly as they could without causing each other harm, Pietro and Kurt disengaged and shifted, both nestling against Lance in hopes of soothing his distress. There were no words… Lance reached out and touched them with his relief, the almost crushing resurgence of hope that he might actually be loved in his life… Neither Kurt nor Pietro noticed that they too wept as they cuddled against their rock-tumbler, love and acceptance and comfort flowing between the three of them in a healing embrace. Before he knew it, Lance was sleeping; his elf and his speedster snuggled safely in his arms.     _God… I don't know if you exist or not, but if I'm dreaming… please don't let me wake up._

A/N: I know this is a little shorter than some of my other chapters, but this seemed like a good point to take a break. ::winks:: At least I didn't leave you hanging this time. 


End file.
